Corita Myerscough
Born 24 Aug 1927
Died Jan 2008
During the past 25 years, no one contributed more to the activities of the
Friends of York Art Gallery than Corita Myerscough,
who has died aged 80.
She filled all the roles on the Friends' committee with the possible exception of treasurer.
She was chairman three times and as a vice-president rarely missed a meeting and was always actively and constructively involved.
Many of the special events for the jubilee year, had been organised by her.
The eldest of two daughters, Corita was born in 1927 in Liverpool where her father was a merchant sea captain working for Houlder Brothers,
the South American line from Liverpool to Buenos Aires.
In Buenos Aires he met and married his Argentine wife.
By the time Corita was five, her family had moved to London, where her father taught at the Institute of Navigation and, later, the Naval College at Poplar.
On his retirement he went to live in Littlehampton so that he was within sight of the sea. Corita qualified as a secretary in London and went to live in Littlehampton to be near to her parents.
She had many different jobs in business and in administration, including a spell working for the World Health Organisation in Geneva.
She moved to York 25 years ago to work at the university, and on her retirement threw herself into her many interests.
Having acquired her first degree through the Open University (1985), she successfully worked on her doctorate with the history of art department on the Fisher family, the York-based family of sculptors in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Many interested in the visual arts got to know Corita through her involvement with the art gallery,
but she was also closely involved with the
York Georgian Society, the York Civic Trust, the National Trust,
especially at Beningborough, and she regularly taught for the WEA and the University of the Third Age.
To all of her work she brought an infectious enthusiasm, a keen and practical efficiency and unfailing good humour. Her company was enjoyed and appreciated by many.
In her years of retirement, she achieved more than most people do in their working lives, and the cultural life of the city of York is diminished by her passing.
Corita is survived by her sister Rosita and her two nephews Matthew and Robert.
Yorkshire Post
Published Date: 12 January 2008
