Tributes have been paid to a former teacher and county councillor who has died at the age of 89.
Bessie Burns is best known for her many years of public service as well as being a former chairman of Anglesey Council.
Married to the late Dennis Burns, she represented the Llanfaethlu ward for nine years.
Originally from Clynnog in Caernarfonshire, she had lived on the Island since 1949.
She spent 17 years teaching at Holyhead High School as well as periods in London and Cyprus, where her husband, Dennis, served in the Army.
Following her retirement from the field of education, she also ran the Cwpwrdd Cornel Welsh book shop in the town of Llangefni between 1972 and 1990.
Mrs Burns was elected as chairman of the Isle of Anglesey County Council in 2003/04, having first become an elected member of the authority in 1999 to serve the community of Llanfaethlu.
She had also been a member of Gwynedd County Council between 1989 and 1996, serving as vice-chairman of the Social Services Committee.
Paying tribute, Cllr Ken Hughes, Anglesey Council’s Education portfolio holder, said: “Mrs Burns represented the Llanfaethlu area for many years with great distinction and she will be missed.
“She also spent time as chair of Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern’s board of governors as well as being a former teacher at Holyhead County School.”
Mrs Burns died at Ysbyty Gwynedd on November 9 and her funeral will take place this Friday, November 18, with a public service at Preswylfa Chapel of Rest in Valley at 1.30pm, followed by internment at Ynys Wen Cemetery.
Dylan Morgan, who took over Llangefni’s Cwpwrdd Cornel following her retirement in 1990, said: “Mrs Burns was a great help to me when I took over the shop, and was a guiding hand for a few months after I started.
“She opened the shop in the early 70’s and undoubtedly contributed to retaining a strong presence for Welsh language books and other material on the high street.”
