A "true queen" and Liverpool "legend" who died was described as the "glue" that kept her family together.
Eleanor 'Nellie' Dougherty's dream came true when she made ECHO headlines last year ahead of her 91st birthday when it was revealed she had over 150 family members. Nellie had long-joked with her family that she had the biggest family tree in Merseyside, including a staggering 93 great-grandchildren.
But as her condition deteriorated in recent years, Nellie tragically died on February 12 surrounded by her surviving children. Tributes have since flooded in for the much loved Scouse nan who was described as a "true queen".
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Daughter Christine Grainger said: "Sweet dreams, happy dreams, have a good nights sleep mum. Love you all the world and back, forever in our hearts."
Daughter Angela Mcloughlin wrote: "Sweet dreams my beautiful mum, you are and always will be a legend to all your loving family, beautiful inside and out."
Aimee Jane said: "Rest easy nanna with all our loved ones and my dad, your son, will take care of you until we meet again. We're truly heartbroken you're no longer here with all that loved you.
"You were the glue that kept our family together, love and miss you dearly. Memories never fade I will treasure them deep within my heart."
One of Nellie's many granddaughters, Julie Gibbons, previously told the ECHO that all of Nellie's family got a chance to be by their nan's bed and say their goodbyes. Julie added Nellie's street had all paid their respects and shared memories of the 91-year-old, who was the oldest member of her Kirkby street after moving there in the 50s.
Paying tribute, ECHO reader Kath Griffiths Currie said: "RIP Nellie, I didn’t know you but you have a lovely kind face and a lovely life story bless you." David Ferguson added: "RIP true queen of England."
Another ECHO reader described her as a "remarkable lady" as another wrote she "sounded like an amazing woman".
Nellie was born in 1931 at the Mill Road Maternity Hospital. She was brought up in Anfield as the fourth child along with 10 other siblings. She met her future husband Ted when she was 14 and they had their first child when she was 18.
The pair continued to live with Nellie's parents until after their third child when they moved to Kirkby where they were among the first to move to the new Southdene estate in 1954. Sadness fell over Nellie and her children when Ted died in 1981 aged 52. Nellie never remarried and always said "there was only ever one love in my life".
Julie previously told the ECHO that her loving nan was always there for everyone - and the thing the family will miss most about the matriarch was how she said goodbye. Nellie always finished her conversations with her family by telling them "I love you to the moon and back".
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