My aunt Moyra Pascoe, who has died aged 70, was born in a council house in a pit village near Airdrie in Lanarkshire; she eventually became one of the most senior women in the civil service, and the chair of corporation at one of the biggest further education colleges in the west of England.
Moyra was the youngest of four children. Her father, John Eyre, was a coal miner and her mother, Elizabeth (nee Loughran), worked in a factory. At St Patrick’s high school in Coatbridge, Moyra developed her musical talent, winning prizes and studying the clarinet to Grade 8. When she left at 18 she had the qualifications needed to join the Department of Employment in Glasgow as a clerk.
She was quickly promoted through the civil service ranks, moving around the country for her career and meeting Ken Pascoe, a senior civil servant. They became partners, had two children and married in 1992.
Moyra was a lifelong socialist, and her experience of prejudice as a Catholic in the west of Scotland, as well as being a woman in a patriarchal society, led her to fight against misogyny, racism and homophobia. During her career she specialised in personnel and equal opportunities, talent-spotting and championing colleagues from backgrounds that were under-represented in the civil service.
She finished her civil service career as director of strategy at the West of England Learning and Skills Council. She also worked at the South West Government Office Secretariat, where she often hosted ministerial visits: she and David Blunkett got on particularly well on long car journeys.
On retirement in 2010, Moyra became a governor and then chair of the South Gloucestershire and Stroud College (SGS) corporation. She was actively involved with more than £50m of capital investment that enabled young people to receive training and education in outstanding facilities. In memory of her commitment, SGS has dedicated the college theatre in her honour.
As the SGS College said after her death, she was “a truly wonderful and inspirational individual who achieved so much for young people across the region”.
Moyra’s home life revolved around her boys, Richard and Jon, as they grew up and settled with their partners – Richard with Dani, and Jon with Emilia. She loved travel, as well as the visits of many friends and family, celebrating with food, drink and laughter.
She is survived by Ken, Richard and Jon.
