A FORMER music teacher and mum-of-two has died at the age of 79.

Mersea Island resident Valerie James died at home after losing her battle with a rare and aggressive type of uterine cancer.

She leaves behind her husband Ronald, 82, two children Stephan, 49, and Helena, 47, and grandchildren Charlotte, 18, and Imogen, 16.

Educated at the Royal College of Music, Valerie had a natural gift which saw her become proficient in several instruments including the piano, harpsichord and her favourite, the violoncello.

She took up singing aged about 40 and, by 1980, she was performing in large-scale orchestra pieces with the Mersea Island Chorus.

Alongside her husband, a clarinettist, they would give recitals under the name Chalumeau, in Colchester, and the surrounding areas.

This also gave her the clout to review other performers across the town for the Gazette’s sister paper, the Essex County Standard.

But it was on Mersea Island the couple made history by establishing the private Mersea School of Music at their home in 1990.

They first moved there in 1968 and were both music teachers at Colchester Institute.

Alongside her formal role, Mrs James would also teach guitar at Colchester County High School for Girls, in Norman Way, and Colchester Royal Grammar School, in Lexden Road, as well as at an adult education centre.

To go with their music school, Mrs James designed a concert hall, which was built on to their home.

Here they held monthly concerts, charity events and taught up to 30 pupils.

Sadly before she could fulfil any more life plans, she was told her cancer had returned.

Son Stephan said: “Mum had had cancer twice and was in remission.

“She was given the all-clear in March, had booked two upcoming holidays and then on March 19 had another test which showed the cancer was, in fact, terminal.”

He added: “At the time she was organising all of the students’ music exams and had decided to see it through.

“All of them passed with flying colours, but that was the last thing she did.

“She was completely unstoppable. She was a brilliant musician, an Italian baroque specialist and a gifted linguist, who spoke many European languages.

“I’m unsure where she got this drive from.

“Our mum would often put my sister and I on stage to perform, even at an early age, but it came with being in a musical household.”

Mrs James will have a private funeral on Mersea Island.

No date has been set.