Funeral date is announced for ‘remarkable’ Shropshire journalist Shirley Tart
A funeral for a remarkable journalist who served the county for more than 60 years will take place later this month.
Shirley Tart, who helped set up the Shropshire Star, died last month at the age of 81.
A funeral, which will be a celebration of her life, will take place at St Andrew’s Church in Shifnal at 2pm on Thursday, January 19.
It will be followed by a private cremation.
Shirley had been recognised with an MBE for her services to the newspaper industry in 2005.
Throughout a 63-year career with the Midlands News Association she held the role of women’s editor for 30 years, and became royal correspondent for both the Express & Star and the Shropshire Star in 1994. She also worked as assistant editor of the Express & Star before taking on a position as associate editor of the Shropshire Magazine.
Away from journalism she was a patron of Hope House children’s hospice, helping to launch the charity’s appeal. Other roles saw her as a deputy lord lieutenant, a patron of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust and county vice-president of Girlguiding.
Shirley was also a founding member of the Shropshire branch of the Leukaemia Research Fund.
Shropshire Star editor Martin Wright said: “Shirley was a remarkable journalist who enjoyed an extraordinary career.”
He added: “She will be sorely missed.”
