Doreen Perrett-Young

Born at Stainland, near Huddersfield, Mrs Perrett-Young had a life-long love of horse riding and horse racing.

After working in a solicitor's office, the outbreak of the Second World War saw her qualify at Apothecary Hall and she worked with her cousin, a doctor, making up and dispensing medicines.

She joined the Women's Voluntary Service – later the WRVS – helping in first aid posts in and around Driffield.

In 1944 at the height of the V1 Flying Bomb "doodlebug" attacks she volunteered and moved to Lewisham to run Civil Defence workers' canteens, for which she was ultimately awarded the Defence Medal.

At the end of the war she continued her work with WVS providing welfare support and running leave camps for the British Forces in Burma, for which she developed a long-standing affection.

On Independence in 1948, she left with the Governor and the last British troops on the liner Monarch of Bermuda but later returned to the country with friends.

Mrs Perrett-Young's work with WVS continued, working with regiments and units of the British Army of the Rhine, in Hanover and Gorttingen.

In 1950 she transferred from the WVS to the St John and Red Cross Welfare Service for the Armed Services, where she worked alongside Countess Mountbatten. She was then posted to British Military Hospitals in Malaya and Singapore during the campaign to defeat communist terrorists. Her service there resulted in the award of the Malayan General Service Medal.

She met her husband, Michael, in 1954 and they married two years later in Singapore in a full military ceremony and Battalion Band.

Brigadier Perrett-Young said: "Doreen provided strong and unfailing support to me in my Army career in Malaya, Germany, Cyprus and Britain, and made many lasting friendships which are a part and parcel of Service life."

On retiring to Hartoft, she soon became involved with Rosedale Show and became a life member, and was its president in 2001, ironically the year of the foot and mouth disease outbreak when the show could not take place.

"She was dedicated to help make the show a success," said Brigadier Perrett-Young. "She just enjoyed working with everyone involved in it – it became her life. Doreen had a full and rewarding life – many benefited from it."

Her funeral was held at Rosedale Parish Church on Monday where her Defence Medal and the Malayan General Service Medal were placed on the coffin.

Janet Dring, who was until recently the show chairman, said: "Doreen's contribution over more than 20 years with Rosedale Show, was immense. She was extremely efficient and had a wonderful capacity for remembering the names of everyone who came to the show, especially the exhibitors – and even the names of their dogs!

"She made an enormous contribution to the success of the show, for which we are all grateful. Doreen was such a human person – everyone mattered to her when she was speaking to them whether to do with the show, or village life. She was very much a people person who will be sadly missed."