A double funeral will be held for two devoted sisters, familiar figures in Dunstable’s business community, who died just a week apart.
Brenda Neale, 90, of Dunstable, and sister Betty Hicks, 93, who had moved to St Albans, died earlier this month.
The sisters, who had health problems for some time, were among nine children in the White family, whose parents had a well-known butcher’s shop in Dunstable.
All six sisters were newsagents at some point, and their three brothers carried on the family tradition as butchers.
Brenda and her late husband had a newsagents shop in Church Street, Dunstable, and she later helped family members in a High Street South newsagents.
Betty and her late husband ran businesses including newsagents. They bought the White family shop in High Street North, Dunstable, turning it into a quality confectionery store.
Brenda and Betty’s sister Monica Hayhoe still owns Hayhoe’s newsagents and convenience store with daughter Yvonne. Talking about Brenda and Betty, Monica said: “They were always together.”
The funeral service is at 11.45am on Monday, March 4, at the Priory Church, Dunstable, followed by committal at Luton Crematorium.