A FREELANCE journalist who spent more than 35 years writing for The Messenger has died at the age of 82.

Julia Taylor, from Sale, first started writing for the newspaper in 1984 alongside her work for Trafford Council.

Passionate about the Trafford community and its culture, she specialised in reviewing art, music and theatre, covering both amateur and professional performances at venues across the borough.

Julia was born in Timperley on March 24, 1939, to parents Arthur and Muriel Turner.

An only child, she attended Sale Girls Grammar School before going to Miss Wilkinson’s Secretarial College.

Her first jobs in the late 1950s and early 1960s were as a secretary, but she took a break from her career in 1964, the same year she married Anthony Taylor at St Mark’s Church in Dunham Massey.

The couple met in 1962 at a party at which Anthony was the social secretary. He introduced himself to a ‘sweet, shy girl’ who then remained at the end of the party to help him stack the chairs away.

He walked Julia home with one hand on his bicycle and the other around her waist.

Julia and Anthony lived in Sale and had three children – Daniel in 1965, Marcus in 1967 and Emma in 1969.

A return to work for Julia followed as she took up a secretarial role at Carrington Parish Council and then Trafford Council. Over the years, she rose to the position of senior information officer, a role from which she retired in 1999.

However, Julia had no intention to stop working. A keen journalist, she edited multiple newsletters alongside her work for the council, as well as writing for Sale Guardian and then The Messenger.

She had worked as a distance learner for a journalism qualification towards the end of her career, putting it to good use throughout retirement and up until the week she died.

Her other passions included foreign travel, which saw her visit and host people from countries all over the world as a member of the International Friendship Force, as well as dancing and rambling.

Julia died suddenly on July 14 due to heart and breathing complications. She is survived by husband Anthony and their children, Daniel, Marcus and Emma.

Her funeral is at 12pm on August 2 at St Martin’s Church in Ashton on Mersey.