Leeta Mary Hearne, a woman described as having "a sharp mind, sharp tongue and a wicked sense of humour", was remembered in a thanksgiving service on Wednesday at the University Chapel in St Andrew. Fondly known as Liz, Hearne taught at St Hilda's, Queen's, Immaculate Conception High School and Mico Practising School before moving on to become editor of the Jamaica Journal for 12 years. She was the journal's longest running editor.

Mrs Hearne was born in London in 1927 and met her husband, John Hearne, in her first year of university, saying her first impression of him was, "What a strange looking man". Despite this, he persuaded her to marry him in 1955 and the couple made Jamaica their home in 1962, the year of Jamaica's independence. A co-worker, Kim Robinson-Walcott, spoke of admiring many qualities in Mrs Hearne, but "of all her attributes, I was most impressed by her capacity to love."

She added: "Those of us lucky enough to know Liz and to be counted as her friends will miss her greatly."

Mrs Hearne passed away on June 7.