MORE than 200 people headed to Sedgemoor Crematorium this week to pay their respects to Sue Englefield, who passed away aged just 54 on October 19.

Sue was well-known in Bridgwater having lived and worked in the town for nearly 30 years, and clearly made a big impression on the people she met with hundreds of people sending messages of support to the Englefield family in the wake of the news.

Sue was born in Bristol and was the eldest of three sisters.

At 16 she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease - a type of blood cancer that was the start of a lifelong battle with cancer.

In 2016 Sue was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, a type of high blood pressure which damages the heart and lungs, and despite having surgery she struggled with her breathing.

In March of 2019, Sue underwent a high risk procedure, and complications arising from the surgery led her condition to deteriorate and she suffered a number of infections.

She stayed in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Bristol Royal Infirmary for 150 days, before she died surrounded by her family on October 19.

Her husband, Sedgemoor FM DJ Dave Englefield, said: “Sue was a devoted wife, a loving mum to Chris, Matt, Katie and Mikey and an outstanding nanny to Riley, James, Taylor, Ava, Ellie, Hollie, Leah and Freddie.”

Sue and Dave both worked for Prontaprint and met in 1982 on a company training course, and kept it in touch, but it wasn’t until 1989 that the pair became an item.

During her time in Bridgwater she worked with Dave at a record shop in St Mary Street, then as an assistant at Penrose School, and later in optometry with Eye Deals and then on to Turners.

Mr Englefield said the family had been overwhelmed by the amount of messages received and the number of people who attended her funeral.

“It speaks volumes about Sue as a person that so many people came to pay their respects,” said Mr Englefield.

“People came from Bristol, Cornwall, Essex and Ireland to attend - she would have been a bit embarrassed by it all probably - I don’t think she had any idea how loved she was.

“She was full of warmth and always worried about others before herself.”

The funeral was followed by a celebration of Sue’s life at Bridgwater’s Blake Hall.

Mr Englefield said he also wanted to thank the hardworking staff at CICU that helped Sue during her stay.

“We will be forever grateful for the care and kindness shown to Sue during this time,” Mr Englefield said.

“I can’t speak highly enough of them. During her stay they went out of their way to organise a trip to Bristol Zoo for Sue, and on our wedding anniversary they helped put together a three-course meal and we even had live music from James Warren of the Korgis who wrote one of Sue’s favourite songs - ‘Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime’.”

The Englefield family is collecting donations for the Pulmonary Hypertension Association.

To find out more about their work and how to donate visit phauk.org.