A devoted nurse who continued working despite being able to retire 20 years ago has died from coronavirus at the age of 84.
Margaret Tapley was so dedicated to looking after others that she was working night shifts at Witney Community Hospital in Oxford, just days before she died after contracting Covid-19.
Hannah Tapley paid tribute to her grandmother with an emotional Facebook post where she described her as "hard working, caring and perfect".
She said: "She was 84 and the strongest woman I’ve ever met in my life. I considered her as an additional parent and I’d never be able to do anything I have done without her.
"I am so proud to call her my grandma. She was the most hard working, caring and perfect woman out there. Devoting her life to others and working for the NHS doing night shifts as a nurse at her age!
"So many people will have such amazing memories of her as she effected so many peoples lives in such a positive way.
"One of my many favourites will be how excited she always got when we saw each other and the messages she would send me before every competition to motivate/calm me down."
She added: "Everyday she would text and phone me sometimes talking about the most random things and I will miss this extremely.
"She was one of my biggest fans and would support me through everything.
"I’m not quite sure how to adapt to this but I know she will be watching everything and supporting myself and all my family just in a different place."
Mrs Tapley is thought to be the oldest NHS employee to have been killed by the virus that has claimed the lives of at least 55 health workers to date.
Nurse Matt Bodell, the editor of Nursing Notes, who broke the sad news about Mrs Tapley told Mirror Online: “Our team of nurses is working tirelessly to ensure the name of every health and social care professionals that dies of COVID-19 while serving their patients is remembered.
“We are working alongside families and colleagues to ensure this done in a dignified way.
“Irrespective of their roles, each and every person dedicated their lives to improving the quality of life of others.“As a nation, it’s our duty to never forget their names or faces.”
To date 15,538 have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus but that figure is expected to surge as it does not include deaths in care homes.
