Tribute is paid to Sutton St James mum and daughter who has died

A ‘loving and caring’ mum and daughter, whose smile was said to light up a room, has died.

In May this year, we featured the story of Josephine Adams, who had progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease of the central nervous system.

Sadly, Jo passed away at her home in Sutton St James last month, aged 51.

Her son Rhys(26) and his wife Lucy (25) moved in with Jo and Jo’s mum Maureen (83) to help provide support earlier this year.

This was following the death of Jo’s main carer, her 82-year-old father Derek.

The family had told their story of how they were supported to negotiate the complex care system, and enable Jo to continue living at home.

“Jo was loving, caring, with a beautiful smile, an hilarious sense of humour and happy-go-lucky even in the hardest times,” Lucy explained.

A team of carers (Ally, Ashleigh, Leanne and Robyn), with the support of independent care professional Toni Barwell, became part of the family.

“All the carers who looked after her were with her at her bedside,” Lucy said.

“They left their families to be beside her for those last 48 hours. Her carers were like extended family.

“Being a carer is about so much. It is personal. They are there to make the person laugh, they are there in the last moments. But carers do not get the recognition they deserve.”

Each of her carers attended Jo’s funeral with her family at the South Lincolnshire Crematorium in Surfleet, on November 3, where they walked beside her pink coffin.

The song, Tightrope, from the film The Greatest Showman, sung by Michelle Williams, was played, as well as the song Young Girl by Gary Puckett and The Union Gap.