A BASINGSTOKE grandmother, thought to be one of the oldest checkout girls in the country, has been hailed as an “inspiration to many colleagues” following her death.

Gladys Elizabeth Smith passed away at The Grange Nursing Home, in Sherborne St John, on January 13 just weeks after she went into the home.

The 94-year-old was born on February 29, 1920 in Wandsworth, London and married her husband William, who was a tank transporter for the Army, at St Anne’s Church in 1940.

Gladys worked for an undertaker, publisher and a trade union before she and William moved to Basingstoke in 1982.

The pensioner, who previously lived in Rossini Close, Brighton Hill, decided to shun retirement and worked on the checkouts at Sainsbury’s, in Wallop Drive, Hatch Warren, from 1991 for an impressive 24-year career.

Her husband William passed away from cancer in 1993. The couple had seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Son-in-law Dennis O’Connor told The Gazette: “It was quite unbelievable that she worked until she was 91, and she was on tills, dealing with money and serving people.

“She was very active. She was an extrovert and had lots of friends. There are pictures of her dressed as a fairy with wings at 90. She was very popular with customers and she used to have more people at her till than anyone else.

“She used to know everybody and she was always interested in having a chat with everybody. She was an extraordinary woman.

“She loved travelling, and she loved working at Sainsbury’s and all the commoraderie aspect, and she was very popular with staff. I spoke with the personnel manager at Sainsbury’s and she said she used Gladys as an example for people coming up to 65 and thinking about retiring.”

Daryl Copper, store manager at the Hatch Warren store, said: “Gladys was an inspiration to many colleagues. She was always hard working right until her retirement at the grand age of 91.

“Having been part of Sainsbury’s, in Hatch Warren, for 24 years, she will be sorely missed by the community, as well as Sainsbury’s.”

Gladys’ funeral will take place at Basingstoke Crematorium at 11.45am on Tuesday, February 10. Donations to Dementia UK can be made by calling Jonathan Williams Funerals on 01256 817603.