A WELL-KNOWN and much-loved businesswoman, mother and grandmother from Yarm has died.

June Parker, who was 90, ran Mrs Parker's Tea and Grill Rooms in Yarm from the early 1980s and before that ran the the very successful Parker's Grill in Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough.

Both venues were often visited by Teesside's movers and shakers, including footballers and former Middlesbrough football manager Jackie Charlton, as well as leading politicians and lawyers.

Mrs Parker, and her equally popular and well-known husband, Milthorpe, went on to postpone retirement and established yet another new business called Art and Memorabilia on Yarm High Street.

One of Mrs Parker's two daughters, Gail Little, spoke with pride of her parents' achievements.

She said: "My mother will be remembered throughout Teesside as a successful, feisty and lively, caring businesswoman. Parker’s Grill in the 60s and 70s became the meeting place of the area’s personalities – from footballers to solicitors, politicians to sales reps. It was unique.

"A popular meeting place with great food to match at a time when Wimpy bars were just beginning to pop up. At the same time my mother also designed overalls for nursing staff and hairdressers in the adjacent premises known as Parker’s Overall Stores."

Mrs Little said that after 30 years in Middlesbrough her parents established Mrs Parker's Tea and Grill Rooms in Yarm and many of their previous customers joined them.

The Art and Memorabilia on Yarm High Street was also a success, "selling all sorts of bits and pieces, artwork painted by June, pianos, garden urns: she had an eye when it came to buying for the shop."

Mrs Parker finally retired at the age of 77 years. Her husband died ten days after the shop closed its doors.

Mrs Parker was born in Liverpool, although her mother was from Middlesbrough, and she joined the ATS during the Second World War. She spent some of her time driving ambulances transporting the injured around the UK and many a night on gunsites on the south coast.

Memories of her changing the wheels of the ambulances were often recounted in her later years.

She had dementia and for the last few years and lived at Reuben Manor, Eaglescliffe where Mrs Little said she "enjoyed the best of care."

Mrs Little said: "She lived a full and happy life the way she wanted it to be - right to the end."

Mrs Parker's funeral took place at Mary Magdalene Church, West Street, Yarm on Friday (September 25).