TRIBUTES have been paid to a former teacher and volunteer who died in her own home.

Freda Hynes, retired history teacher at Alun High School, died from a cardiac arrest, aged 89 on March 13. She lived in Mold with her husband of 63 years, Jim Hynes.

Jim, a former veteran, said: “I would describe our marriage as starry eyed lovers and it is shattering without her.

“Although she retired in 1987, in a way she never did because she worked full time for charity, always giving back to other people and yet she was extremely modest.

“It’s very difficult to encompass what she did into a small space, but she inspired me to write and publish my own books.”

Freda, who was originally from Liverpool, volunteered at Oxfam for 21 years, as well as working within the church community and Credit Union.

She also became president of the conference of the St Vincent DePaul Society, Mold and secretary of the Wrexham East District Council where she took part in supervising and supporting disadvantaged people.

She is described by her daughter Ann as an amazing historian and a role model to everyone.

She said: “She took everything in her stride and she was a thoroughly modern woman who brought her family up and still made time to support the community with a full-time job.

“She was an example of how much you can achieve if you just set your mind to it and do it.

“My mum was never one for sitting around, she would get up and do it and she was a role model to all of us, and to anyone. She’s a big loss to the community, we all miss her terribly.”

Freda met her husband, Jim in Liverpool about 65 years ago and she became catholic of her own free will.

The volunteer had her first cardiac arrest in August 2017 and was shortly diagnosed with lymphoma, cancer of the blood, but her family said this did not stop her from helping others.

Towards her latter days when she could not get out in the community, she would sit in and knit woolly hats and balaclavas for seamen.

Rebecca Williams, 27, granddaughter, said: “Nana was sweet and giving and one of the strongest women I have ever known.

“Her life touched the lives of so many people and I am privileged to have her as my grandmother. She has truly inspired me to do what little you can, to help those who have no voice.”

Jim told the Leader he has many fond memories of his wife and he still remembers when they first met at a dance in the church hall of the Catholic Christ the King Parish.

He said: "We had our first date watching the coronation of the queen and I remember Freda being extremely surprised that I went to it, choosing that over a cowboy film. But she was a great royalist and she would have loved to have watched the upcoming Royal Wedding."

The couple spent five years living in Canada before settling down in Mold.

Ann said her fondest memories are of her mother organising picnics and trips to the woods whilst there.

She added: “It fell to mum to prepare those things and those were very happy times. She always made sure we had our meals on time and we went to bed on time, she was a very good mother.”

Freda was a labour supporter and liaised with David Hanson, MP for Delyn, before and after he was elected into office and spent time as a secretary for the Delyn Labour Party where she supported and spoke up for the poor.

MP David Hanson said: “I’m so sorry to hear of Freda’s passing, it will be a devastating loss to Jim and the family.

“Freda was a strong labour supporter but also had an extraordinary view of society by campaigning on many important issues and my condolences go out to the family.”

She leaves behind her husband, Jim Hynes, daughter Ann (58), three sons: James (61), Mark (60), Philip (56) and two grandchildren: Rebecca Williams (27) and Maeve Wolf (22).