Respects have been paid to animal lover Poppy Boore, who has died aged 92.

Born Poppy Bowler in 1916, she was one of five children with her three sisters also named after flowers — Rose, Pansy and Lily.

She spent her early years in Wingfield Street, off St Clement’s Street, Oxford and most of her time was taken up looking after her sick mother.

When the Second World War started in 1939, she went to work at the munitions factory in Cowley.

It was during this time she met her future husband, Bill Boore, a cabinet maker living in the Osney area of Oxford, and the couple were married in 1942.

They had two children, Christine and David, and moved to St Mary’s Road, East Oxford, in 1952.

The family then relocated to Faringdon, where Mrs Boore was employed as a domestic worker in private houses, hotels and guest houses. She also worked in a factory making medical supplies for Grahams, in Faringdon.

After 15 years living in Faringdon, Mrs Boore returned to Oxford when she separated from her husband, moving to a house in Glebelands in Cowley.

She did not return to work after moving back to Oxford and spent her time enjoying her hobbies.

As a keen reader she often had her nose buried in a book. She also had a keen love of animals, particularly cats, which she loved to dote on.

Her son David said: “She was also fascinated by African wildlife, but she could never bring herself to watch any of the animals getting hurt”

Mr Boore described his mother as a very caring woman who, although very shy, had a great sense of humour.

He added: “She was a loving mother who gave us the freedom to be who we wanted to be. She never made us do anything that we didn’t want to do.”

Mrs Boore passed away at the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Headington, on Tuesday, October 28, and her funeral took place at the Oxford Crematorium in Bayswater Road, Barton, on Monday.

Mr Boore said: “Mum never wanted to leave her home in Glebelands because three of her pet cats were buried in the back garden and she didn’t want to leave them.

“So we decided to scatter her ashes over their graves so that she will always be with them.”