Jane Cribbon may have loved a good debate in Gravesham’s council chamber, but she also enjoyed long lunches with friends and listening to Robbie Williams.

These were just some of the memories shared at a memorial service to celebrate the ‘remarkably awesome’ life of Cllr Cribbon.

Monday’s service paid tribute to her life as a career woman, godmother, friend, sister, wife and councillor.

Friends, family and colleagues packed St George’s Church for the service, with her brother and sister, Paul Cribbon and Ann Keely, flying in from Australia and Ireland.

Cllr Cribbon was born in Dublin on September 30, 1949, and a proud Irishwoman she stayed. Her husband, Cllr Lee Croxton, spoke of the two topics of conversation that she was most passionate – the potato famine and Oliver Cromwell, two arguments he could also never win.

He spoke of his last moments with her, some of their finest memories and said she would always be on his shoulder.

Phoebe Keely Thomas, Jane’s goddaughter, recited some of her favourite lyrics from Somewhere Over The Rainbow and allowed everyone to shed a tear of joy and not sorrow when she retold the story of being in the park with and getting stuck in a tyre-swing.

Brother Paul fought back the tears when he spoke of his role in keeping a seven-year-old Jane warm and safe in her recovery from tuberculosis after she spent two years bed-ridden and missing out on school.

Nicky Warren and Ben Keely spoke of their friendships with her. Nicky confessed to their regular Bluewater coffee meetings which more often than not turned into lunch and afternoon tea to accommodate their extensive catch-ups.

There were plenty of tears of sorrow but mainly of celebration, commemorating Cllr Cribbon’s life.

She passed away peacefully, aged 66, at the ellenor hospice on Friday, June 10, after a battle with stomach cancer.

A small private cremation took place prior to the service which was followed by a celebration of her life at The Civic Centre in Gravesend.

Cllr Cribbon, who lived in Hillside Terrace, Gravesend, was a Labour member of Gravesham council for Central Ward and then Pelham Ward since 1999, chairing the planning committee. She won Gravesend East division on Kent County Council in 2013 for a second term.