BETTY Mcgovern epitomised the spirit of dedicated voluntary service to her local community.

Compassionate, honest and hard working, she was a highly popular and nationally acclaimed school warden for more than thirty years and enhanced the lives of all those who met her.

She was to the forefront of many important developments in the Forthill, Ballytivnan and Cartron area, including fundraising to provide an extension to St. John's community hospital and the campaign to construct St. Joseph's Church.

Betty was always willing to help others in her typically unselfish way. Many young pupils were touched by her guiding hand as school warden, but she was also a tireless fundraiser for numerous charities and organisations, including the Conquer Cancer campaign, the Irish Heart Foundation and many more.

While she became a ' lollipop lady' almost by 'accident', Betty's diligence and care was recognised when she was named School Warden of the Year in 1990 and was also honoured as a 'Sligo 750' Person of the Year.

For her, looking after the safety of children wasn't so much a job as a vocation.

Down through many years before she was formally engaged by Sligo Borough Council, Betty performed the task voluntarily.

When a child narrowly missed being knocked down on the road outside her home at Cartron Estate, she took it upon herself to ensure that children got to and from their school buses and made their way to school safely.

She went on to serve as school warden at St. Edward's National School and Carbury National School and her late husband Bernard was also a school warden. In 2006 the Mayor Councillor Rosaleen O'grady honoured both Betty and Bernard at a civic reception to acknowlege the special service they had given to the people of Sligo over so many years.

"If you try to encapsulate what we mean by the term ' service to the community', you could do no better than look at the contribution Betty and Bernard Mcgovern made over the course of their work as school wardens," said the Mayor at the time.

Betty and Bernard also went beyond the call of duty to bring their knowledge and experience directly into the classroom to educate young pupils on the vitally important issue of road safety.

Staff and pupils of St. Edward's showed their gratitude to Betty with a presentation to mark her 30th year of service.

A native of Knaggs Row, Betty (nee Scott) attended Forthill school before going to Roscommon hospital to study children's nursing.

She then met her husband, who was in the army at the time and moving to various locations, and four months before her final exams she left nursing. Betty and Bernard were married in Sligo Cathedral in October 1946.

When Bernard was successful in a civil service examination he moved to Dublin to work as a postman. After three years, he transferred back to Sligo. Betty and Bernard moved into Cartron Estate in 1972 and quickly took the local community to their hearts as the community did of them.

Neighbours often called to Betty for help and her knowledge of first aid was often put to good use. Her home was warm and welcoming.

Betty was a member of the parish council for a number of years and was also a member of the St. Joseph's Church choir. She had a great voice and loved to sing whenever the opportunity presented itself.

At a time when sporting facilities were not of the standard they are now, she and her late husband were involved in the Belvue sports association in the 1970's and assisted with the F.B.C. community games.

Betty liked sport including soccer and G.A.A. and she travelled to matches with her husband and with the late Nancy Callaghan and others, and was there to see ' Forthill boy' Harry Mcloughlin socre the winning goal as Sligo Rovers won the F.A.I. Cup for the first time in 1983. She also loved to go to Rosses Point.

She had an interest in politics and as a long standing member of Fianna Fail, she campaigned on many occasions for former EU Commissioner Ray Macshary.

Betty was predeceased by Bernard in May 2010. She died peacefully at Sligo General Hospital, aged 83.

She is survived by sons, Thomas, Brian and Ciarán; daughters, Anne and Edelle; sister, Tilly Phillips; brothers-in-law; sisters-in-law; sonsin-law; daughters-in-law; grandchildren; great- grandchildren; nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and countless friends.

At a recent meeting of Sligo Borough Council, Councillors paid tribute to the work of Betty Mcgovern and passed a vote of sympathy to the Mcgovern family.