Today we are telling the story of Carol Ann Alton who died in her care home in Harrogate last year. Carol died in her sleep after being ill for some time. She did not die of coronavirus but her family were unable to see her due to the restrictions. The family asked us to include her in our tributes on this Mothering Sunday. 

Carol Ann Alton was born August 4, 1945 in Leeds. She died aged 74 on June 30, 2020 in her care home in Harrogate.

Carol was loved dearly by her husband, children and grandchildren.

She grew up in Leeds with her brother, beginning her working life at the Yorkshire Post at 16.

Whilst working there she met her husband, Richard, and the "devoted" pair got married on June 7, 1969 in Pudsey.

The pair spent their first few years together in Alwoodley and later welcomed daughter, Tracy, and son, Richard.

Carol changed career paths and started working as a theatre nurse at Leeds General Infirmary. She was a committed nurse and worked long hours whilst looking after her young children.

The family moved to West Sussex for a few years for Richard's job, but always one to stay busy, Carol found a job in the care home.

Carol gave up work to focus on family life when they moved back up north to Rawdon, Leeds, in 1987. Over the next few years the family enjoyed several holidays abroad.

Tracy has "happy memories" of their times in Florida and Spain.

Her mum was her "best friend" and this bond was never lost. When Tracy was pregnant is 2002 her mum and dad moved to Harrogate to be closer to her.

Over the next few years, Carol took the role of grandmother in her stride. She loved to cook and bake with her grandchildren and "they loved it too", said Tracy.

In recent years, Carol's health deteriorated and after a couple of falls in her home in October 2019 the family were forced to make the difficult decision to move her into a home.

After a few more months in and out of hospital, Carol settled into a home in Harrogate in February 2020.

Carol and Richard had never been apart and the move took a toll on the both of them.

When visits were stopped during lockdown Carol and Richard suffered. Tracy said her mum "lost her fight".

In April the pair could see each other through a window but that would be the last time before Carol passed.

Tracy said her mum was her best friend, and although coronavirus was not the cause of death it meant she "lost the last few months of her [mum's] life".

Carol was a private woman so her funeral was small, but she was surrounded by all those that loved her.

Coronavirus has stolen something from lots of families but for Tracy, who like many others was "dreading" today, wanted to tell the story of her mum and the "fantastic mum" she was.