WELL-KNOWN local author and poet Yvonne Hazel Elizabeth Khan died on June 25, aged 73.

More than 100 people paid tribute to the popular mother-of-three at a funeral service held at Boscombe East Cemetery in Kings Park on July 10.

Ms Khan, who was born in Birmingham on May 27, 1942, spent most of her life in the Strouden Park area of Bournemouth and wrote three books, packed with fascinating information about the area and old photographs.

Reflections of Strouden Park, Strouden Roots with Local Folk and Hotchpotch of Memories all proved popular with local residents, and have been sold in local book shops and libraries.

She grew up in Bournemouth, attending the former Boscombe British School and King's Park Primary School, and was very close to her mother Emily throughout her life.

During the early 1960s she moved to London. There, she met and married Khalil Khan, and moved with him to Abu Dhabi. They had two sons Ian and Shaun, born in 1966 and 68 respectively, but separated after a few years.

She moved back to Bournemouth, living first in Kinson, then Mallard Road, then finally Craigmoor Avenue.

Some 15 years later Ms Khan gave birth to a third son, Trevor, after a separate relationship.

She was devoted to her children and got involved in everything they did, at the same time taking part-time jobs such as waitressing, cleaning and shop work so as to have more time for her family and friends.

Her books demonstrate her pride and passion for the area in which she grew up, and she also had a great enthusiasm for genealogy, tracing her family tree back through the ages.

Always creative, her free time was devoted to writing books and poetry, drawing and ceramics. She was a supporter of the World Wildlife Fund and a passionate conservationist, protesting against developments and plans to knock down historic buildings.

Also she volunteered for the annual Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal at Castlepoint.

Ms Khan was a regular at Bournemouth Library’s monthly Family History and Local Studies Group, and attended Lansdowne Church at Castlepoint.

She took friends on 'mystery tours' exploring the local area, and such was her love of Italy that she learnt to speak the language.

She was a patient, good humoured and engaging person who will be missed by many in the community. Typically, in her will she requested a modest funeral so as to have minimal impact on the environment.