FAMILY and friends of a popular former hotel manager from Greenock paid their final respects at her funeral on today.

Irene McKenzie passed away last month, aged 81, surrounded by her family.

The pensioner had still been working three days a week and driving and meeting friends for lunch right up until she took ill in October.

Her son Drew, who owns Robert Alexander Butchers in Port Glasgow, said: "She had been working with me until she was diagnosed with an asbestos-related lung tumour.

"She received wonderful care within the hospice and from the Macmillan nurses.

"The NHS is always being criticised but when you see it in action the care she received was exemplary."

Mrs McKenzie, who lived in Union Street, leaves her two sons Drew, 58, Robert, 54, plus five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Drew says she will be remember by many as the boss of the Clune Brae Hotel in Port Glasgow which she ran until her retirement in 1996.

He said: "She was there at the time of a tragic fire at the hotel in 1975 which claimed two young lives and she received a letter of commendation from Scottish & Newcastle Breweries, then owners of the hotel, for her actions that day."

Irene's hotel career started at Eastbank Hotel at Langbank in the late 1950s and she also had spells working in the advertising department at the Telegraph and at Gourock Ropeworks.

After her retirement she worked in business in Port Glasgow with both her sons – at Autotec with Robert and at the butchers with Drew.

Drew said: "Mum started within our business as a message girl for her father, Bob Alexander, so she was involved in the butchery for over seventy years – latterly there wouldn’t have been many decisions taken that were not run by her first. She was a great source of advice.

"She was the daughter of a butcher and the mother of a butcher and had therefore been actively involved in our business for over seventy years. She will be sorely missed as a source of knowledge and a sounding board."

Irene was fiercely independent and had a close circle of friends.

She was involved in the Guide Movement for many years, starting as a Sea Ranger then latterly serving as leader in the Ranger Guides associated with the 12th Greenock Girl Guide Company.

Drew said: "She just quietly went about helping people without anyone else knowing.

"She knew how to talk to young women who were going through a hard time.

"She helped them to help themselves, she empowered them."

"Since her death we have been amazed by the number of people who have come forward to say what a great source of inspiration mum had been to them – particularly young women – sometimes former employees.

"One wrote ‘’you gave me chances in life, you moved me out of my comfort zone, you encouraged and pushed me to better myself’’.

Mrs McKenzie's funeral will take place at Greenock Crematorium on Monday at 2pm.