A 71-YEAR-OLD woman described as a 'brilliant' mum and a dedicated grandmother took her own life an inquest concluded.

An inquest into the death of Lynne White was held at Cockermouth Coroner's Court on Tuesday (February 7).

Paramedics attended her home in Barrow in the early hours of July 29 after she was found unresponsive by her husband, the inquest heard.

Empty packets of medications and a suicide note were found.

She was taken to Furness General Hospital but she died the following day after the decision was made to take her off life support. 

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The inquest heard Mrs White had two children with her husband Ian, who she married in 1973.

She spent time working at Richard Brunskill School, a former special school on Walney Island, and as a teaching assistant at another school.

"Lynne was always passionate about helping other people and this includes children," said Ian.

She had arthritis and Mr White said in more recent years, "she seemed to be bothered by it" and was regularly taking painkillers.

"She would never moan, but I could tell that she was uncomfortable," he said.

She was described as a "brilliant mum" and the inquest heard they had a close family unit.

Her husband added that she "dedicated her life to her grandchildren".

During the second national lockdown due to the Covid pandemic, he said they felt isolated.

"I would not say that she would get depressed," he said. "But she didn't see doctors in this period.

"Lynne used to go to doctors regularly before lockdown. She was not happy she was not seeing the doctor."

He added: "I think everyone was down in the second lockdown, but I was never worried about Lynne."

He said after lockdown, "life returned to normal a little bit".

Their eldest granddaughter got married last year and moved to the US, and she was "ecstatic" for her, the inquest heard.

Mr White said during the evening before her overdose, she was "doing her usual routine". He decided to go to bed first, and they said goodnight to each other, the inquest heard.

"Nothing seemed out of the ordinary," he said.

He woke up in the early hours and found her unresponsive.

"It was a complete shock to me," he said. "I didn't understand why Lynne took her life and I don't think I will ever know."

Her daughter Samantha, who attended the inquest via Teams, added she used to go around regularly to her parents' home and that she often spent time with her mum.

"She never said anything, she never gave any inclination that she was feeling the way that she obviously was," said Samantha.

Coroner Nicholas Shaw gave the medical cause of death as cardiac failure due to a mixed overdose, and recorded a verdict of suicide.

He said while it's "completely uncertain why she decided to do it", he said "there can be no doubt" that she intended to take her own life.

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