LIFELONG member of Kidderminster's Rose Theatre group and retired maths teacher Shiela Hodges has died, aged 95.

Shiela taught maths at the old Kidderminster High School, where she was educated from age six to 18 and was head girl, and later moved to St John's where she took the position of head of maths.

She is still fondly remembered by members of the Kidderminster High School Old Girls Association as someone who could encourage those who were already good at maths while also helping those who needed more support.

Shiela was a life member of the Nonentities Society, which owns the Rose Theatre, and was honoured by the group after 50 years of very active membership.

Over the years, Shiela supported the society as an actor, a director, and a committee member - sometimes all three in one season.

She ran publicity at the society and was the production manager. She could also be found serving teas and coffees as part of the front of house team or working backstage.

Born to father Leon Jacobs, an optician in Kidderminster, and mother Edith Jacobs above their shop in Coventry Street in 1926, Shiela was the first person in her family to attend university - unusual for women at the time.

She studied at Bedford College in London from 1943 where she experienced the end of the Blitz and VE Day.

She returned to Kidderminster where she met and married Frank Hodges in 1952. They initially lived above her father’s shop in Oxford Street and had to be evacuated during the flooding of May 1955.

They moved to Stourport in 1957 and to Kidderminster in 1971.

After retiring from her teaching career, Shiela became even more active as an enthusiastic WI member and taking several courses at Denman College.

She gave talks to WIs and other groups about the Rose Theatre, where she remained an active member as long as she was able.

She was also a committee member of the Women’s Gas Federation and attended reunions after it disbanded.

Shiela enjoyed foreign travel, including her favourite trips to Iceland and a cruise in the Norwegian fjords. She attended many OGA meetings and dinners.

Above all, she relished spending time with her family in Kidderminster, Cornwall and Portugal.

Despite some frailty in her last few years, Shiela remained as active as possible and enjoyed being taken out by family and friends.

She was mother to Amanda, Elizabeth and Caroline and grandma to Rebecca, Katherine and Luisa.

Shiela moved to The Wharf Care Centre in Stourport in March 2020 and died peacefully there on January 13.