TRIBUTES have been paid to a Romsey nun who has died at the age of 104 who’s death will “leave a huge gap” in the community.

Elizabeth Monks died due to old age after spending more than 80 years as a sister with the Daughters of Wisdom.

The Mayor of Test Valley, Iris Andersen, who met her for the first time at her birthday party in January, and the Vicar of Romsey, Rev Canon Tim Sledge, both described her as a “remarkable woman”.

She died at Marie Louise House, where she was being cared, last Wednesday (April 6) and her funeral will be held today at Abbey House in Romsey at 1pm.

Sisters Maureen Seddon and Clare McCaffrey, both knew her for more than 50 years.

Maureen said: “She loved lived and loved to celebrate,” while Clare said: “she was so interested in what you were doing, she was tremendously outward looking.”

Cllr Andersen said: “She was a tremendous lady, I admired her a lot. I had a lot of respect for her.”

Describing her as “inspirational” Rev Sledge said: “She was a remarkable and formidable person. She had amazing character, she had incredible energy.

“She will leave a huge gap. When she was in Marie Louise House she would be incredibly caring towards the other residents there.”

Born in Preston she travelled to Romsey when she was 20 years old to join the French order of nuns.

After spending time in France she was posted to London where she taught children during the Blitz and moved to the Lake District after that before returning to Romsey.

She also worked in Newcastle as a bursar, a post she held until she was 90 years old when she returned to Romsey.

Clare added: “Romsey was a very special place to her.”

“She made a huge impression on people in the town,” Maureen added.

Since the Millennium she was seen in the town centre on her scooter and Rev Sledge said she was “a part of the community”.