My mother, Elsie Matthewman, who has died aged 85, was a woman of quiet courage and deep loyalty, with a lifelong instinct to care for others, all expressed not in grand gestures, but in practical, thoughtful ways.
After raising her family, in the 1980s Elsie found her voice through the charity Cry-sis, supporting parents of babies with sleep difficulties. Drawing on her own experience, she developed insights – about diet, overstimulation and behaviour – that were ahead of their time. She spoke at conferences, appeared on radio and television, and helped countless families.
