A LIFE dedicated to caring for people, animals and nature with great knowledge, dedication and compassion has ended with the death in St John's Hospice last Thursday (Dec 22) of Dr Gwen Gartside (nee Herd), aged 67.

She became the only female GP practising in Morecambe in 1986 and from the West End Medical Practice saw a great need for health care in the area.

Gweneth Herd was the daughter of Frank and Eleanor Herd at Hilderstone Farm, Burton-in-Kendal, and attended Burton Morewood Primary School.

She excelled at Queen Elizabeth School, Kirkby Lonsdale, and started a five-year course in medicine at Manchester University in 1969.

Gwen qualified in 1974, starting a 30-year career of care, dedication and healing.

She began her clinical training at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary as junior house officer and then senior house officer, specialising in paediatrics.

In 1976 she started training as a GP, first at the Queen Square practice in Lancaster and then at Beaumont Hospital, Westmorland County Hospital, and in the new special care baby unit at the RLI.

Gwen married Chris Gartside in 1978 at Natland Parish Church and they started their married life in Edinburgh, where Chris was working for the NatWest Bank.

After completing her training in Edinburgh she became a partner there with Dr Ann Rennie.

She then joined Drs Graham Orr, Martin Yule and Paul Townley at Morecambe's West End practice in Marine Road West.

Gwen set about obtaining new premises, formerly the bus depot in Heysham Road, which opened in 1991.

She had a special interest in mental health and trained practice nurses to become nurse practitioners.

Throughout her career she maintained a deep interest in training young doctors and for many years was a GP trainer at the RLI.

However, her work was interrupted by ill-health, which led to her retirement from practice in 2004.

She set about a new career as a dairy farmer at the family farm at Burton until the dairy herd was sold in 2010. Then, with her brother Ian, she developed a herd of beef animals.

Gwen was diagnosed with cancer in May.

Gwen and Chris lived in Carnforth.

The funeral takes place at St Oswald's Parish Church, Warton, on Wednesday January 4 at 1pm.