The Island's education and legal communities were thrown into mourning over the weekend with news of the death of Lady Astwood, wife of the President of the Court of Appeals, Sir James Astwood.

A one-time teacher at Berkeley Insititute and a tireless volunteer, Lady Gloria Astwood came to Bermuda from Jamaica with her Bermudian husband in 1974 and quickkly developed an enormous network of friends which transcended race, class and age.

Born in Cuba, where her Jamaican father had business interests and family, Lady Aswood died with regrets that she was not able to revisit friends and family in Cuba, a country that she recalled with affection.

Gloria's parents Walter and Clarice Norton were both Jamaican and they returned home to Jamaica when she was two.

She met the young man who would become Bermuda's first black Chief Justice at the University of Toronto where they were both undergraduates.

They wed in 1952 and once he became a lawyer, they moved back to Jamaica as he was concerned about Bermuda's segregation of the time. In Jamaica she taught English and Spanish.

Lady Astwood is remembered with great affection by her former colleagues at Berkeley Institute.

In the three years she was there, she made a marvellous contribution because she had such an interest in the children, encouraging them to follow her example and aim high.

When Sir James became chief justice in 1977 she withdrew from her teaching career, but continued to educate, spreading her liberal views in her new sphere of influence.

She threw herself into charity work and was involved in the Committee of Six, founded by the late Dame Marjorie Bean.

As her friend and fellow committee member, Louise Jackson, recalls, just about every charity in Bermuda benefitted from the work of the Committee of Six which used to hold tea and coffee mornings and fashion shows once a year.

Lady Astwood will be chiefly remembered in Bermuda for her diligent work as president of the Hospital's Auxilary of Bermuda at King Edward Hospital, the "Pink Ladies".

She was also one of the leading lights in the International American Women's Society which helps expatriot women who move to Bermuda.

People also remember her witty and entertaining speeches; she was a good orator and a popular guest speaker and was constantly asked to write things for others.

She was always passionate about Bridge and in recent years she played every Thursday with her beloved "Bridge Group".

She leaves her husband of fifty one years, daughters Karen and Melanie, son David, grand-daughters Kelly, Jacqueline and Natalie, son-in-laws Mike Muschett and Richard Calderon.

The funeral takes place at St. Paul's Paget tomorrow at 3 p.m. Donations in lieu of flowers to PALS.