Sheffield art expert and passionate Luis Suarez fan dies at 97

Back in 2010 when the Sheffield Telegraph was compiling a feature on representatives in Sheffield of the nations competing in the World Cup, Tanya contacted us to say she might be one of the few Uruguayans living in the city but was certain she was the only one who had attended the very first final in 1930.

She was 12 at the time and although she admitted she could not remember much about it (Uruguay beat Argentina 4-2 in front of 93,000 in Montevideo) she remained a lifelong fan of La Celeste Olimpica, especially Luis Suarez, and happily posed for a photograph waving her national flag.

Tanya, whose mother was English, came to Britain in 1948 to work for Penguin Books and married the book designer and typographer Hans Schmoller, later a director of the publishers. After his death in 1985, her son, who was living in Sheffield, suggested she move here too and she settled in Nether Edge.

She has been active on the local arts scene, exhibiting and talking about the collection of decorated paper she built up with her husband.

At the age of 81 in 2000 she graduated from the Open University with a BSc honours degree and among her other pursuits was as a volunteer at the General Cemetery.