DORIS Nattrass used to recruit soldiers and request tanks during the Second World War – but her son Frederick will never forget the moment she surprised him by adopting his brother, John.
Mrs Nattrass, who has died died on December 8 at the age of 101, had initially wanted to adopt a baby with her husband Frederick, but ended up falling in love with a five-year-old boy – also called Frederick.
But after taking him home he struggled to settle without his brother – so his new parents decided to adopt him too.
Frederick junior, now 65, of Bilborough, said: "I kept saying I wanted my brother, John. They talked about it and decided they would fetch him, but didn't tell me they plans. One day I left school and I saw mum, dad and John in a pram. I pushed the pram back home - I was so happy."
Mrs Nattrass grew up in Worksop, before moving to Basford at the age of 16 to care for her grandmother Annie Wooly.
She began her working life as a window dresser at discount store FW Woolworth, in Radford, before moving to Chilwell Barracks to work as a personnel officer at the start of the Second World War.
There, she helped to recruit soldiers and would deal with requests for new tanks when another one was damaged.
John, 62, of Top Valley, said: "She really enjoyed working at the barracks and made many friends there. She said it was the best years of her life."
It was also during 1939 that Mrs Nattrass married her husband Frederick as mentioned earlierat St Mary's Church, in Edwinstowe, after meeting him through a cycling club.
After the war she turned her hand to lace-making which she did at home until she retired at the age of 57.
John said he will always remember his mum being very caring.
He said: "I believe she got out of life what she put in. We are all going to miss her a lot, everyone will."
Mrs Nattrass became her husband's carer before he died of bladder cancer at the age of 83.
Frederick said: "She was a lovely, wonderful mum, and a wonderful wife to my dad. She would do anything for anyone they would only have to ask. She is irreplaceable."
Mrs Nattrass also leaves her two sons, four grandchildren and nine great-great grandchildren.
