Tributes paid to popular Worthing landlady: 'That's for you, Mum!'

Elizabeth 'Betty' Evans passed away recently at the age of 86 after 56 years spent living in Worthing.

She was perhaps best known in the town for running The Ship Hotel in South Street with her husband, George, from 1964 to 1980. Betty then went on to part own and operate, with her sister Frances Webber, the Cameo Restaurant in Bath Place from 1980 until 1986.

Her son, Gary, has reflected on his departed mother's life in an obituary.

He said Elizabeth, or 'Betty' as everyone knew her, was born in June of 1934 in Edenderry, County Offaly in the Republic of Ireland. She was the second eldest of eleven children born to her mother Amy and her father John.

It was in 1952 at the tender age of 18 years of age that she moved to London to work as a nurse at The Mile End hospital. In 1953, the rest of Betty’s family emigrated from Ireland and moved into a property in Roseberry Gardens, Crouch End.

In 1956, whilst working in the West End, Betty met George Evans, a former sailor in the Merchant Navy and went on to marry him in March of 1958. They went onto to become Managers at The George Hotel in Wanstead, North East London.

One of her greatest passions in life was dancing and you could regularly find her at the local Dance Clubs of the day. One of her lesser known talents was as a card player and she was particularly good at 25 and poker.

In 1964, George and Betty moved to Worthing and took up ownership of The Ship Hotel.

Gary was Betty's only child, both in 1969. He grew up in Worthing and went on to become a professional golfer on the European Tour. Betty gained further notoriety when at The 2002 Open Golf Championship during the final round, Gary was leading and made a memorable, yet unlikely, par at the 17th hole.

As the crowd cheered, Gary went up to a BBC cameraman and whispered the words, ''that’s for you Mum', a slogan that has followed Gary around the world to this day.

Betty regularly returned to Ireland to visit her relatives and many friends in Dublin and County Offaly and is survived by her sisters Frances, Ethel, Gwen, Antoinette and Jean, by her son Gary and by her Grand Children Georgia and Olivia.

Her funeral service will be held at St Mary’s of the Angels, in Richmond Road, on Thursday, October 8 at midday.