A POPULAR Kidderminster sports teacher has passed away at the age of 93.

Mary ‘Bunny’ Painter, who taught sport and dance at Kidderminster High School – now King Charles I School – died on Wednesday, April 20, four weeks after the death of her beloved husband, John Painter.

Born Mary Coney in Hartlebury, on May 15, 1922, she was the youngest child of John and Gladys Coney.

She was educated at Kidderminster High School, followed by Anstey College of Physical Education, near Birmingham.

Having graduated as a physical education teacher in 1943, she spent several years back at Kidderminster High School teaching sports and dance. She also gave regular swimming lessons at the local baths and tennis coaching at Stourport Tennis Club.

She married her husband John, who worked as a solicitor in Kidderminster for more than a quarter of a century, in 1945.

Her son, James, said: “She lived 60 of the 93 years of her life in and around Kidderminster as a popular teacher of various sports.

“Many local people will remember her as the person who taught them to swim or play tennis.

“She adored teaching disabled and elderly people to swim, and particularly those who thought they would never have the ability to do so.”

Many of her four children and seven grandchildren were successful sportsmen or women. Her son Richard was a trialist at football for England Public schools, her second son Alan coxed the Oxford crew in the boat race, and her granddaughter Francesca represented Great Britain in the 2012 London Olympics as a water polo player.