Tributes to Sheffield councillor Pat Midgley after she dies with coronavirus

Tributes have been paid to a Sheffield councillor who died after testing positive for coronavirus.

Pat Midgley, 82 – who had been a Labour councillor since 1987 – was taken to hospital last week and received oxygen but died on Sunday.

On the day she died, her daughter Joanna posted a tribute on Facebook.

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She said: "She was and always will be my hero. A wonderful caring, selfless and generous person with an ability to make anyone and everyone feel immediately welcome and loved (usually with endless cups of tea, cakes, scones and sandwiches)! She was committed and devoted to her family and friends and always tried to keep people together and connected."

Sheffield councillor Pat Midgley has died with coronavirus aged 82. Picture: Chris EtchellsSheffield councillor Pat Midgley has died with coronavirus aged 82. Picture: Chris Etchells
Sheffield councillor Pat Midgley has died with coronavirus aged 82. Picture: Chris Etchells
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"She knew her own mind and what she wanted.

"This morning she refused morphine because she wanted to carry on fighting. We also managed to carry out mum's last wish yesterday by casting her vote for Keir Starmer in the leadership election. She said that "she would never forgive herself" if not!

She was thee first serving politician in the UK known to have died from coronavirus, reported The Guardian today.

Council Leader Julie Dore, her lifelong friend and political colleague, was overcome.

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She said: "I am heartbroken, it's just so awful and I can't find the words. It is so tragic and sad. This makes coronavirus all the more real, please keep safe and take comfort from your family and friends."

She had a lifelong passion for improving education and was a school governor for more than 50 years.

A former Lord Mayor, she also served as a magistrate.

Last year she won a Woman of Sheffield award hosted by The Star newspaper.

She had already decided not to re-stand as a councillor in the next local elections and gave a modest interview a couple of months ago.

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In it, she said: "We know when we come in as councillors there’s no time to plan for retirement and you can be out in one day. Most people have time to prepare if they leave a job. In politics, your life can be taken away in one day.

“Planning for the future never even occurs to you. When you retire, you’ll still be involved in politics and community issues, you just turn over the page.”

The Star reports that she leaves a husband, Don, brother Tony, children Joanna, Neil and Jamie and grandchildren Harriet, Lucy, Jude, Theo and Madeline.

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