Death of former Exeter Lord Mayor Hilda Sterry

Published: 3 January 2023

Former Lord Mayor of Exeter, Hilda Sterry sadly passed away over the Christmas period, the City Council has announced.

Hilda, who was an Honorary Alderman, died in the early hours of Christmas Eve. She was 71 years of age.

First elected in 1995 as a Labour Councillor for the Exwick ward, she served until 1999, before returning to the Council in 2003 as a councillor for the Whipton Barton ward, which she served until 2011.

She was made Lord Mayor of Exeter in 2004 and an Honorary Alderman in 2011. She continued to support the charities chosen by Lord Mayors long after her time on the Council and would often bake cakes to be sold to raise funds for the various charities.

Hilda’s family have requested that people wishing to pay tribute to the former Lord Mayor should make donations to the current Lord Mayor’s charity, the Exeter Dementia Action Alliance.