A WOMAN from Bolton who played a vital role for the Americans in the Second World War has died at the age of 97 after suffering with coronavirus.

Renee Dubois, from Daubhill, was a member of the popular Bolton dance troupe, the Dinky Dots, and her mum, Anne, and dad, Jack, ran The Oddfellows Arms pub for around 40 years.

Renee went on to become a young stenographer at Bushy Park for General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who planned the D-Day landings from Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force.

She remembered walking to the War Office past Downing Street, and seeing Prime Minister Winston Churchill most mornings, when he would give her and her friends a cheery wave.

She married her American husband Don, becoming a 'GI Bride', and moved to New York state after the war ended, where they had a son together, Chris.

Don, a bank vice chairman, died at the age of 57.

Renee, who went to Brandwood School and Bolton Technical College, was employed throughout her life, firstly for five attorneys, at a high school and at a prison correction facility.

She remarried her second husband George, but sadly, he also died. Renee later moved to Tennessee.

She died on January 3.

Her nephew Phil Asma, 69, said: “My auntie was a very outgoing sort of person, a born performer.

“She was young for her age and alert.

“She was always really keen on dancing, even in her 90s.

“My auntie came back to the UK numerous times.

“We used to have discussions on Skype, I spoke to her virtually every day.

“She was regarded as a veteran because she married a GI and she was a bit of a celebrity because she was English, even though she lived in America for so long.”

Phil added that Renee suffered with dementia towards the end of her life.

She also had a brother, Christopher, who was a drummer in pubs and clubs.