Kesgrave: One of the best-known community figures in the town has died after a long battle with cancer.

June Klaschka died on Good Friday after battling the disease for many years.

She was a town councillor for many years and was also well known as the wife of the late county councillor John Klaschka.

When he died suddenly 18 months ago she had already been told her cancer was terminal and told mourners at the funeral that she would soon be joining her husband.

Christopher Hudson succeeded Mr Klaschka on the county council, and said Kesgrave had lost a strong fighter with the death of his widow.

He said: “She did a great deal of work on the town council and was a great campaigner for Kesgrave.

“She was also very committed to the Conservative Party – she would always turn up at party events and was a great support to John during his time on the county council.

“I was sorry to hear about her death – I know many people from the county council will be at her funeral next week.”

Ironically Mr Klachka had been expecting to have to nurse his wife before he died suddenly in October 2011 – in the event she outlived him by 17 months before she died at the St Elizabeth Hospice.

Her funeral will be held at All Saints Church, Kesgrave on Friday, April 19, at 1.15pm.

Do you want to pay tribute to Mrs Klaschka? Write to Your Letters, Ipswich Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail starletters@archant.co.uk