The hundreds who turned out at the Devonshire Recreation Club a month ago to pay homage to Mrs. Yola Jean Patience Smith, better known as 'Diddy,The Queen of Hats', were joined by three times as many more at Christ Church, Devonshire on Wednesday, paying their last respects to the grand old lady.

Diddy passed away a week ago, after a two year battle, with great Christian fortitude, against pancreatic cancer. She was in her 76th year.

As we stated earlier, while many knew Mrs. Smith as the Queen of Hats, far more, such as the thousands who have gone to the annual Somerset-St. George's Cup Match over the past three or four decades, knew her as the 'Cup Match Belle'.

She was the beautiful, buxom lady in her flowing light blue and dark blue Cup Match gowns, and her wild hats, running from the sidelines in her stockinged feet with her flowing St. George's Cup Match streamers, as excited as the kids, to acknowledge the feats with bat and ball of her St. George's players.

Her flamboyance and enthusiasm gained her respect as the mascot of St. George's Cricket Club, and even the darling of the equally rabid Somerset fans.

As a final tribute to her, the flag at St. George CC was flown at half-mast; and her open casket was laid out on the cricket field the night before the funeral, drawing a steady stream of viewers.

Her rector, Canon James Francis, conducted the service. Following her burial in the St. Peter's Church yard, a big wake was held at the Royal Artillery Club.

The service was largely choral. Family and chief mourners wore spectacular hats from Diddy's original collection of more than 550. She had given the vast majority away during her final days.

Among the tributes paid to Mrs. Smith was a poem composed and read by her youngest sister, Mrs. Erlin Gibbons. She noted how she and Diddy, reflecting a rainbow of colours, swaggered through town.

"Many a time I tried with great will to slow you completely down. But it was I who could not keep your pace as we ran non-stop through town. I never knew then what is crystal clear now, that you had some place else to be. The invite was clear; the time was near. You had sent back your RSVP. Now I say, rest my dear sister. Sleep tight my beloved. And one day we will all see why. We will put on our hats; make one final reservation and join you for tea in the sky."