A dedicated nursery school teacher who could “brighten the mood with just one smile” has died.
Gill McIntosh collapsed at her cottage on the outskirts of Aberlour on Tuesday after suffering a brain hemorrhage.
The 49-year-old was placed on a life support machine, but it was switched it off on Thursday.
Her devastated husband, Jamie, later posted a moving tribute to his “beautiful wife” online – saying he would “love her forever”.
And the 300 youngsters at Hythehill Primary School in Lossiemouth, where Mrs McIntosh worked for 24 years, are heartbroken at the news.
Friends said the popular nursery teacher left a lasting impression on generations of children, and that her death was being mourned by past pupils across the world – many of whom attended the school as forces children while their parents served at RAF Lossiemouth.
A special assembly was held at the school on Thursday for Mrs McIntosh, who was a former pupil of the school.
Childhood friend James Allan now serves on the school board, and has been helping staff and pupils since the tragic news emerged.
The Elgin City North councillor said: “It’s just horrendous, all the kids and teachers are so upset.
“A lot of the staff have worked with Mrs McIntosh for about 20 years, and her death was very sudden so it’s been hard to take in.
“The kids in the upper school remember her very fondly from their time at nursery too.
“The children and staff were crying all day on Thursday.”
Mr Allan said that Mrs McIntosh’s dedication to the Lossiemouth school was illustrated by her willingness to commute from Edinvillie, south of Aberlour, every day.
He added: “She came in all weathers, and people would ask her why she didn’t get a job closer to home.
“She just told them she wouldn’t want a job anywhere else, she was dedicated to the children at Hythehill.
“And they were dedicated to her too, the school has been receiving messages from people across the world over the last two days.”
Lossiemouth mum Victoria Moffat, whose four-year-old daughter Elliotte, had been in one of Mrs McIntosh’s last classes, said: “She was an amazing woman, she would brighten your mood with just one smile.
“Mrs McIntosh will be hugely missed, she was great with all the children and knew all their names within days of them starting.”
After attending Hythehill as a child, Mrs McIntosh studied at Lossiemouth High School.
She returned to her former primary school in her mid-20s to begin work in its nursery.
Since word of Mrs McIntosh’s death spread, flowers and cards sent in condolence from schools across Moray have stacked up at Hythehill.
