Winnie Johnson, the mother of Moors murder victim
Keith Bennett, has been buried after a funeral service at St Chrysostom’s Church, in Victoria Park, Manchester.
The 78-year-old died of cancer earlier this month, before she could fulfil her wish of finding out where killer Ian Brady had buried her son, and giving him a proper Christian funeral.
Her grandson Stephen Prescott told mourners Mrs Johnson had a life of ‘struggle and hardship’, but she always had a smile on her face and was a ‘shining example’ to everyone.
Elizabeth Bond, a family friend, said: ‘I have been in all sorts of places with Winnie while she played her public role and she never stood on ceremony for anyone.
‘She stood fast against all that life could throw at her and kept a sense of humour along the way.
‘She lived by her values – to do what we believe is right even in the hardest time; to not let ourselves be beaten and always call it how it is.’
After her son was taken by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, Mrs Johnson spent her life trying to find the location of his burial site.
But despite numerous letters pleading with Brady to reveal the body’s location, the killer never has.
Brady and Hindley abducted and murdered the 12-year-old in 1964 and he was the only one of the couple’s five young victims whose body was never found.
PICTURES: Images from Winnie Johnson’s funeral