Tributes to Liz Turner, the dedicated Scarborough music teacher who was so well loved by family, friends and pupils

Liz Turner was a devoted wife, mum, grandma and friend as well as a dedicated teacher and talented musician who taught in a number of local schools.

She died earlier this month, two days before she would have turned 64, after being diagnosed with cancer in March.

Her husband Tony and four daughters, Amy, Katie, Emily and Angel, have described her as “incredible”, perfect”, and “beautiful, compassionate and brave”.

Born in Grimsby, Liz moved to Scarborough as a child and grew up in the area.

She became a teacher with a specialism for music and her first post was at Lady Lumley’s School in Pickering.

It was at the interview for that job that she met her future husband, whom she would be replacing.

“I thought up all sorts of reasons why we should meet to talk about the job but didn’t ask her,” Tony said. “But fate intervened. The following Saturday I bumped in to Liz in a music shop in York, and the following week I proposed!”

The couple married six months later.

Liz worked part-time at Scalby School before joining Seamer and Irton Primary School.

She was a very popular teacher and well-known for the lavish junior school musical productions she staged during every school year involving pupils, parents and staff.

She started a tradition of an annual show and major Christmas events, and many young children had their first chance to perform in her shows.

There have been dozens of messages on social media from her former pupils expressing how much they enjoyed taking part.

As an accomplished pianist, she was a champion of live music and always used live performances to accompany her shows.

Her community choir of friends and neighbours also took part in annual charity events, appearing every Christmas at the YMCA.

Having recently retired, Liz was looking forward to spending more time with her daughters and six young grandchildren, as well as accompanying the Scarborough Choral Society and her community choir.

Daughter Katie said: “Mum, I have hundreds of stories of you and your kindness and your beautiful silliness.

“You’ve made my life so happy and fulfilled and you’ve made your son-in-law and grandchildren’s lives so enriched.

“I am going to miss you every single day for the rest of my life but I will also be eternally thankful that you are my mum.”