Civic leaders in Tiverton, Devon gathered to remember the life of Eunice Hann, who was mayor twice and took to the role of representing the town "like a duck to water".

Mrs Hann was a district and town councillor for several years and was mayor of the town in 1986 and 2001.

Mrs Hann died on 13 June 2009 at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, Wonford. She was aged 79 and had been suffering from a kidney condition.

Mrs Hann’s funeral, held in Tiverton on 22 June, was attended by dignitaries and friends from around the town.

Daughter Pauline Farr, herself a town councillor, said her mother enjoyed being involved in community life, in terms of both fundraising and campaigning.

She said: "I have had some really nice letters from people. I had one from someone who estimated she had raised about £35,000 towards the refurbishment of the New Hall. She also donated the town flag to the town and was involved in the Christmas lights appeal — then known as the Starlight Appeal — where they used to put on a firework display in the recreation ground and hold a competition for best pumpkin."

Mrs Farr said her mother had been born in the South Hams but moved to Tiverton after the war and had a great attachment to the town.

She said: "Mum loved the fact it was a small market town and she was able to feel involved in things. She was proud of the town and wanted to give something back. She had a real community spirit."

Mrs Farr said her mother enjoyed her time as mayor.

"She took to it like a duck to water," she said. "From my point of view, she was a mother to be proud of and now that I have become a councillor too, I hope I can live up to what she achieved."

Friend Cllr Dennis Knowles said he remembered many enjoyable trips abroad with Eunice and her late husband Eddie as part of Tiverton Twinning Association.

He said: "Eunice was very involved in the local Twinning Association. She was the first secretary of the Hofheim twinning link and she was the only person from Tiverton to be awarded the golden pin by the town authorities in Germany. It was sort of the equivalent of being given the freedom of a town."

Cllr Knowles said such was the regard that Mrs Hann was held in Germany, that Bianca Sigg from Hofheim had flown in specially for the funeral as a representative of the twinning association and as a friend of Mrs Hann.

Cllr Knowles said Mrs Hann also occupied herself as a keen supporter of the Rainbow Club, serving on the Tiverton in Bloom committee and was a member and chairman of the town’s U3A branch.

As a supporter of the arts she also helped behind the scenes at productions by the Tiverton Amateur Operatic Society and the drama societies.