A FORMER teacher, entrepreneur and golfing enthusiast has passed away, aged 70.

Jennifer Margaret Charlton was born in Manchester on May 2, 1947 to Eric and Harriet (Hettie) Charlton.

Her older sister of five years was Pam and she enjoyed a happy childhood in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, attending Oswald Road Primary School and then Levenshulme High School.

Once at high school, Jen worked hard and enjoyed her education, going on to study teaching at Manchester Tech and qualifying as a primary school teacher.

Every Christmas Jen, Pam, Eric and Hettie would spend Christmas at the Grand Hotel in Grange-over-Sands. It was in 1967 that Jen met her future husband Tony Garnett, who was there for Christmas with his parents Olga and Geoff and his younger brother Martin.

Jen and Tony married on July 18, 1970 in Manchester. The couple then moved to Kendal and her and Tony made their first home on Esthwaite Avenue.

The couple moved to Natland, forming great friendships, enjoying an active social life and taking up rally driving with the Blue Ramblers. Jen was the navigator while Tony drove.

Jen began her teaching career at Barrow and then at Holme Park Private School just outside of Kendal.

Daughter Jo was born in January 1974 and it was then that Jen decided to give up teaching. Son Rhys was born four years later, in November 1978.

In February 1978 Jen and Tony set up Cumbria Heating Components from their front living room.

The couple were committed and worked hard on their business venture. Rhys began working with his mum and dad in 1994 while Jo went on to practice law as a solicitor in Lancaster until 2008.

Jo finished law and took up a job share with Jen, allowing Jen to go part time and to enjoy her older years on a semi-retired basis.

Jen took up golf around 1997 and it changed her life. She was lady captain twice at Kendal Golf Club and forged a great many life long friendships.

The sport took Jen to Dubai, South Africa, America and Portugal and she became an integral part of Kendal Golf Club. She was heavily involved in the committee and in August 2017 she was made an honorary member.

A keen Liverpool Football club fan, she travelled home and away supporting the team, becoming a season ticket holder and rarely missing a home game.

Jen had four grandchildren; Bobby, 11; Harrie, 9; Billy, 5 and Ronnie, 2. She was so pleased to have grandchildren and even joked that she wished she had 'bypassed' the kids stage to have grandchildren as they were 'much easier'.

Always active and on the go. Jen was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 when she was 46-years-old, which she bravely beat.

However, in 2017, she started to become unwell and it was discovered that she had widespread cancer. Despite her toughest battle it became apparent that the chemotherapy was not working.

She passed away peacefully in her own home on October 20 with Jo and Rhys at her side.

The funeral will take place tomorrow (November 3) at St Mark's Church in Natland at 1pm.