THE life of an "extraordinary, brave, determined and positive" woman will be celebrated at a special service in March.

The Hon Mrs Ruth Isabel Adorian, who has died aged 87, campaigned for better access for disabled people in hotels, restaurants and public buildings.

She and her husband Paul Adorian set up their Windermere-based charity, Action for the Independence of Disabled People, after she was diagnosed with motor neurone disease 13 years ago.

The charity's projects include working with the NHS in a bid for sniffer dogs to be trained to detect MND at an early stage.

A service of celebration for Mrs Adorian is to be held at the chapel at Sedbergh School on Tuesday, March 3, at 2.30pm.

Mr Adorian said his wife died peacefully with her immediate family around her on November 30, 2019. Her funeral was held at St James' Church, Burton-in-Kendal.

Born in London in 1932, the third daughter of Lord Wakefield of Kendal showed promise on the ski slopes from an early age. Aged 17, she became junior slalom champion of Great Britain.

She studied art and become a talented artist. In 1955 she married Grenadier Guards officer Nigel Clarkson Webb and accompanied him on overseas postings to Germany, Cyprus, Palestine and finally to Pakistan, where Nigel was assistant military attaché.

Returning to England, they bought their Tewitfield home in 1967. Ruth became a director of the Wakefield Group of family businesses and also took on public duties such as a Privy Council appointment to Lancaster University Court and membership of the University Council representing The Duchy of Lancaster.

She sat in Kendal as a general commissioner for the Inland Revenue; was on the Cumbria County Board of General Commissioners; served as governor of the Ullswater Outward Bound organisation; and was variously chairwoman, vice-president and president of Lunesdale North West Cancer Research.

She was also a board member of the Lancaster Acute Hospital Trust, and worked with local and national charities such as the Red Cross, Great Ormond Street Hospital and the appeal for a CT scanner at Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

Ruth lost her husband Nigel to a severe illness in 1987, shortly after he became High Sherriff of Cumbria. Typically stoical, she carried on with her public duties and in 1991 re-met childhood friend Paul Adorian. He was breeding llamas on a farm at Kirklinton, near Carlisle, and was founder and managing director of the International Powered Access Federation, now headquartered at Junction 36 of the M6 motorway.

They married in 1992 and enjoyed "27 fantastic years" together.

Happily married again, Ruth joined Paul in adding two more company directorships to her many responsibilities until fate struck again 15 years later, when her family noticed she had developed a lisp-like sound when she spoke.

Four neurologists and many trips to London later, just as the Adorians had bought a house near Windermere, Ruth was diagnosed with MND. Her instant question was: "How long have I got?" When she was told "three years, if you are lucky", Ruth responded: "We'll see about that!"

She died 13 years later, and is survived by her husband, her son and two daughters, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.