Tributes paid to well-known Wolverhampton foster carer and childminder
A well-known Wolverhampton mother who had five children of her own before acting as a foster grandparent and childminder to numerous others has died.
Mrs Phyllis McKetty was 91 when she passed away in New Cross Hospital on March 26, four days after admission.
Hundreds of mourners attended her funeral at Darlington Street Methodist Church in the city centre on April 23.
Mrs McKetty, whose maiden name was Ricketts, joined her husband Lesett in this country in 1959, three years after he had arrived.
The couple initially lived in rented accommodation before buying their own home in Avondale Road, Whitmore Reans in 1962 and lived there for the rest of their 62 years of married life. Mr McKett, who is 92, survives his wife. He worked in a foundry while she securing a job as an auxiliary nurse at The Womens' Hospital before giving up a post she loved to work as a cleaner with British Rail for 15 years so she could devote more time to her family.
The congregation at her funeral was told: "Phyllis enjoyed her job at the hospital because she loved caring for people, however she left to work for British Rail in order that she could be available for their children during the days. Phyllis would often work seven nights per week in order to ensure the family was comfortable."
The couple had five daughters, four of whom became social workers while the fifth moved into community work. Sadly one of these, 53-year-old Rose, a lecturer in social work at Bilston College passed away in December.
Another of the daughters Mrs Millie McKetty-Campbell said: "Mum never really recovered from that. She would constantly refer to us as her five gold pieces. We all went to university because mum insisted on us getting the best possible education.
"She was popular and well known throughout Wolverhampton and helped to care for a large number of children beyond her immediate family. She loved the city and will certainly be missed by Wolverhampton markets."
