A  LAUNCESTON woman, Miss Mary Butler, who has devoted 53 years of service for the Sunday School children and Monday Club in connection with the Launceston Salvation Army has retired from this work and to acknowledge this, members of the Salvation Army gathered on Sunday week to say thank you to Mary for her many years of service to children and to celebrate the occasion.

During these 53 years, Mary has worked tirelessly for the Sunday School and Monday Club and the day recognised her wonderful love and service for the Lord, for Mary is a special person, who is loved by young and old alike and is known to everyone as 'Aunty Mary.'

Sunday week at the Army commenced with a morning service, led by Envoys David and Carol Harrison. This made a great start for the day and brought a blessing to all. The afternoon commenced with tea and a time for Mary to reminisce with some of her first scholars and also with some of the most recent. The evening service, was led by the Divisional Com­mander Major C Bradbury and his wife, Major J Bradbury.

During this service, a tribute to Mary was read.  This had been written by a former scholar, Angela Ellwood and was a letter to thank Mary for all she had done for her and the many others. This ranged from Sunday School, timbrel playing, organising Sunday School outings, socials and concerts. Angela made reference to the animal appeal collection, which she said Mary would make fun. "She is truly wonderful and an example to us all," said Angela.

Another tribute was read by Major McKnight on behalf of all past officers with whom Mary had worked with and Major Bradbury spoke on behalf of DHQ and presented Mary with a certificate for her 53 years of service. A bouquet and a gift was also presented to her, given with love from all her friends at the Corps. The service ended with he great hymn of praise "Great is thy Faithfulness."

It must be noted that Mary has not retired from working for her Lord with the Salvation Army in Launceston, only from her youth work.  Mary's work for the Salvation Army in Launceston is legendary and everything she does, she does quietly and with extreme cheerfulness and always in the name of the Lord. She still works part time at the local Somerfield stores in the town and is actively connected with the Laun­ceston Cancer Research UK Committee and is a trustee of the Dunheved Municipal Charities amongst other things, Mary's work for her Lord is tireless and her friends at the Salvation Army are now waiting to see what she will get up to next?