{"id":233,"date":"2013-06-05T20:25:25","date_gmt":"2013-06-05T19:25:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/edinburgh\/?page_id=233"},"modified":"2026-01-29T13:28:42","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T12:28:42","slug":"obituaries","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/edinburgh\/club-officers\/obituaries\/","title":{"rendered":"Obituaries"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kathleen Hardie<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sadly the club has lost another longstanding and wonderful member. She was joining club meetings on Zoom until very recently. She will be much missed by all.<\/p>\n

“Mary, Kathleen’s daughter here.\u00a0 You may already have heard but mum sadly passed away early yesterday morning.\u00a0 As you know she had been in and out of hospital over the last couple of months.\u00a0 She was discharged from her last visit on Thursday 13 November. Initially she seemed better but at the weekend she started to fade. Her mobility had become very restricted, and she was in some pain.\u00a0 We’re grateful that she died peacefully at home and that my brother, James was present. Thankfully her mind remained sharp – on Thursday she was enquiring about what was happening in the world!”<\/p>\n

A few words of remembrance from club members<\/p>\n

“She was very good company and entertained us at many of our social gatherings over the years.”<\/p>\n

“I loved Kathleen\u2019s writing especially the poetry and her mischievous sense of humour, as well as her love of life. I\u2019m sure she will be much missed by many.”<\/p>\n

Kathleen was a well known published writer and poet, being a prize winning member of the Muriel Spark Club.<\/p>\n

Kath was an active member of the Edinburgh Sir Walter Scott Club – serving on the Club Council for almost 20 years.
In 2009 she read from Scott’s Journal:
https:\/\/www.walterscottclub.com\/kathleen-hardie-reading…<\/a><\/span>
and in 2010 she gave a talk to the Club on Thomas Moore:
Listen here:\u00a0https:\/\/www.walterscottclub.com\/…\/sir-walter-scott-and…<\/a><\/span>
She will be dearly missed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Morag Insley<\/strong><\/p>\n

1924 – 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n

Our Club has lost another longstanding and active member – celebrate her life and dedication with us.<\/p>\n

SIEnna214B TributetoMorag<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Cutting the Club 90th birthday cake<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mary Bell<\/strong><\/p>\n

Recently we have lost another of our long standing members who gave great service to her country, community and of course Soroptimist International. The following article appeared in the Scotsman paying tribute to her work.<\/p>\n

Mary Bell Scotsman Obituary (1)<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The sudden death of our longest serving member, Dr Isabel Smith, has shocked all our members. COVID -19 has prevented us attending her funeral which was held in Ayrshire, but we were able to be represented by one member.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>ISABELLA SMITH EDINBURGH (Isabel)\u00a0 1929 – 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n

Isabel, as she was known, was born in Glasgow in 1929 and grew up in Ayr where she attended Ayr Grammar School and Ayr Academy. She studied at The University of Edinburgh from 1947-1953 where she obtained a BSc with honours in Bacteriology, followed by a PhD in 1953. In 1953 she obtained a post in Aberdeen as Demonstrator, and personal assistant in the Department of Bacteriology, University of Aberdeen.<\/p>\n

Between 1956-1962 Isabel became a Scientific Officer (and latterly Senior Officer) at the Torry Marine Laboratory in Aberdeen where she worked on cancer in fish. In 1962 Isabel returned to Edinburgh, where she was appointed a lecturer in the Department of Bacteriology (later Medical Microbiology) in the faculty of Medicine at the University of Edinburgh. Her teaching, to medical and science students, was initially mostly on bacterial physiology, but very soon Isabel specialised in the developing field of medical virology, under Dr RHA Swain. Over 30 years, to her retirement in 1994, Isabel was promoted to Senior Lecturer, and played an important role for the health service in the work of the University Virus Diagnostic Laboratory.<\/p>\n

Countless students at all levels benefited from the meticulous practical demonstration and supervision that characterised the laboratory work of that era, but Isabel was always more than a teacher. She cared about people and kept in touch with many long after they moved on.<\/p>\n

Isabel joined Soroptimist International of Edinburgh club in 1973 and gave dedicated service for 48 years. She was club President 1980-1981 and was Club Treasurer 1998-2002. Isabel contributed to and edited two copies of the club history, 1927-2007 and 1927-2017 (the club\u2019s 9th decade).<\/p>\n

Isabel was a skilled needlewoman, and she led a team of five club members who contributed to a panel on \u201cvotes for women\u201d \u00a0for The Great Tapestry of Scotland. She had strong lifelong<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Isabel with the Tapestry of Scotland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

commitment to Girlguiding and she organised a poster competition \u201cOur World 2027\u201d for the Rainbows, Brownies and Guides as part of SI Edinburgh\u2019s celebrations for the 90th Anniversary of receiving its charter.<\/p>\n

Isabel fully participated in all aspects of Soroptimist International at club and region level. She had a \u201ccan do\u201d attitude to everything. Her memory and recall were exceptional. She gave wise counsel and knew who the best person in the club was for any task. Isabel participated in most club programme action activities. She did not seek the limelight. Over a number of years, she organised the club members to an evening of checking Christmas shoe boxes in her church hall for Blythswood Care.<\/p>\n

She volunteered for Sight Village (a one-day shop for visually impaired people), and for the fringe performance Scottish Super Women of Science where she leafleted on the Royal Mile and guided at the special performance for visually impaired people. Isabel organised the club friendship groups and hosted many social evenings at her home.<\/p>\n

Just in her last year Isabel selected and prepared the biographies for the nominations of SI Edinburgh for the SI Scotland South Region playing card project to commemorate the Centenary of Soroptimist International.<\/p>\n

Isabel had a wide range of interests, and a huge network of friends. The church was important to her, and she volunteered at the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland each year and was involved with the Church of Scotland Guild and the World Day of Prayer. Art and music were also important to her. She could recite Robert Burns poems. She had a love and encyclopaedic knowledge of plants, which she happily shared with other people. She kept fit by walking.<\/p>\n

Isabel lived a full life of service and faith, all with a ready cheerfulness.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Isabel and Lindsey with cheque for Bridgend<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Isabel and other members at Sighthill<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

[vc_column_text]Following the recent loss of one of our oldest Honorary Members we record the life and service of Betty Walls.<\/p>\n

Miss Elizabeth Ann Cameron Walls (Betty)<\/strong><\/p>\n

26th<\/sup> April 1914 \u2013 26th<\/sup> May 2013<\/p>\n

Betty died peacefully, in Cherryholme House, aged 99 years.<\/p>\n

She attended Hutchesons\u2019 School for Girls in Glasgow and gained her MA from Glasgow University.\u00a0 After some time as a primary school teacher she moved to Edinburgh.\u00a0 She bought a flat in Morningside Drive, her mother stayed with her and she worked for the Church of Scotland being particularly interested in overseas mission.\u00a0This was a life-long commitment and Betty visited mission stations as part of her service. \u00a0She had stories about her time in Kenya and India.\u00a0 One such was when having to sidestep along a thin ledge on a steep mountainside \u201cOh that was alright for me, but these two fellows with me, oh they found it difficult.\u201d\u00a0 That led her on to discussing the strength and fortitude of women. \u00a0In 1972 she became General Secretary of the Church\u2019s Overseas Council \u2013 the first woman to hold the appointment, with responsibilities for, among other things, interchurch relations and visiting mission stations around the world.<\/p>\n

At the same time, 1972, Betty was the first woman to be ordained as an Elder in Palmerston Place Church \u2013 six years after the General Assembly of the Kirk had voted to allow this.\u00a0 Much of Betty\u2019s service showed that women could and should be involved wherever and whenever their service was needed.<\/p>\n

She joined Soroptimist International of Edinburgh in 1955, served as club secretary from 1960\/62, as club President from 1968\/9 and was made an Honorary member of the club. \u00a0Betty was a faithful member contributing to all club activities until very recently and was interested in members\u2019 families and enjoyed opportunities to meet with the younger generation.<\/p>\n

Socially, Betty enjoyed her visits to the Lyceum Theatre and Usher Hall with her dear cousin.\u00a0 His companionship meant a lot and she missed this when he died about five years ago.\u00a0 Also she was no mean water-colourist, an interest she had and was able to develop after retiring.\u00a0 Her love of bridge was legendary.<\/p>\n

Her funeral took place on 4th<\/sup> June \u2013 her love of life and her long life of service was celebrated.\u00a0 Betty will be missed by her family, friends in Soroptimism, the church and the wider world.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

ETE 04\/06\/13<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kathleen Hardie Sadly the club has lost another longstanding and wonderful member. 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