Pamela Shields

As a head teacher she also enjoyed supporting and working with adults in school and being a leader, while as a class teacher she had been judged as “outstanding” by OFSTED.

Ms Shields was deputy headteacher at Grange Technology College, Bradford from 2006 until early last year when she was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease.

She was born in Huddersfield, the eldest of four children, and the only daughter, of Neville and Iris Shields.

Her father was a charge-hand engineer at Brook Motors, in the town and her mother worked as secretarial support to various local businesses following service in the RAF during the Second World War.

She was educated at Greenhead High School, Huddersfield, and Lancaster University, where she gained a Bachelor of Education teaching degree before becoming a teacher at Oakworth Primary School, Keighley, in 1977.

From there she went to Hartington Middle School, Calversyke Middle School, and Swire Smith Middle School, all in Keighley, gaining promotion with each move until in 1996 she became headteacher of Royd Mount Middle School, Bradford.

She stayed at the school until it closed in 2000, when the city changed from a three-tier to a two-tier school system.

She then chose to teach secondary age pupils and became assistant headteacher and then deputy at Rhodesway School, Allerton, Bradford, until 2006 when she moved to her last school.

While she was at Rhodesway she met Ian Cox whom she married last year, although they had been together since 2005.

Away from school she spent a lot of time travelling and had visited many countries, as well as cities in mainland Europe.

She also found time for literature and the theatre, walking in the Dales, and supporting Huddersfield Town, and for her family and friends.

A woman of determination and good humour, after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease just over a year ago she managed the condition with unwavering courage, and remained active and at home throughout most of her illness.

She is survived by her husband Ian, and her brothers Trevor, and twins Chris and John.