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A former Yorkshire council boss described by colleagues as 'kind and supportive' was tragically found dead in a hotel room. Fiona Williams, who was 60, was the former head of
libraries at York Council and later became chief executive of Explore York Libraries and Archives. Her tragic death in May 2023 in a York hotel room was drug-related and was due to morphine
toxicity, a coroner has now concluded. It is understood that Fiona had been ill for some time and had taken early retirement, according to reports. Following her death, colleagues described
Fiona as a visionary leader with a long and distinguished career in libraries. She became head of libraries in York in 2004 where she developed a new vision for libraries and archives in the
city. Under her leadership, in 2014 Explore York became the country's first public library mutual owned by its staff and the community. She received the British Empire Medal in 2022
for services to libraries. Colleagues described Fiona as supportive, kind and a good listener. Fiona was tragically found unresponsive in a room at the Premier Inn in Tadcaster Road,
Bilbrough, York, on May 15, 2023. Paramedics and police attended and confirmed her death just before 2pm that day. An Inquest in Writing concluded on May 26 this year. In a Record of
Inquest, assistant coroner Gillian Kane recorded the medical cause of death as morphine toxicity. Morphine is a strong painkiller which is used to treat severe pain. The coroner concluded
that Fiona's death was drug-related. Fiona, who was born in Lebanon and whose father was in the Royal Air Force, later moved to Cyprus, then Huddersfield and later to Dorset, according
to reports. She moved to York as head of libraries in 2004. _GET ALL THE LATEST AND BREAKING NORTH YORKSHIRE NEWS STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX BY_ _ SIGNING UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER HERE._