Catriona Cazaly, formerly the finance manager with the Free Church of Scotland and University of the Highlands and Islands, has died aged 66.
She managed the finances of the Free Church in Edinburgh for 10 years until her retiral two years ago.
Before that Catriona, of Inverness, held a finance post at UHI for 10 years.
She came out of retirement to work as finance manager for a charity, Connecting Carers, which provides support to unpaid carers.
Isle of Lewis
Catriona was born in Dumfries, to parents from the Isle of Lewis, Dolina and John Macdonald.
Her father, John Macdonald, was a deputy headteacher in Kelloholm.
The family moved to Morayshire in 1957 where Mr Macdonald became the headmaster at primary schools in Knockando, Burghead and Bishopmill in Elgin.
Academy Dux
Catriona was educated at Elgin Academy and was joint Dux in 1972.
She went on to study economics at Edinburgh University and graduated with an honours degree in 1976 before taking up a post in finance with the NHS in Argyll and Clyde health board.
Catriona later moved to Oldham, Manchester, to take up a similar role in NHS finance.
While working for the NHS she attained membership of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, and later went on to became a fellow.
Church of England
She had been raised in the Free Church of Scotland but attended St Mary’s Church of England in Haughton Green, Greater Manchester.
It was there she met her future husband, Len Cazaly, who had moved to the area from his home in London to look after his parents.
They had met in 1994 and were married at St Mary’s Church, two years later.
Catriona later left the NHS to join the YMCA in Manchester as finance director.
Elgin
Around 2000, the couple moved north to Inverness to be closer to Catriona’s elderly parents who lived in Elgin.
She began work with University of the Highlands and Islands when it was still in its development stage, while her husband lectured at Highland Theological College in Dingwall.
In 2009, Catriona was invited to join the Free Church finance department in Edinburgh.
Commuting
The couple bought a flat in the capital and Catriona would spend several nights a week there before returning to Inverness.
She was very supportive of many Christian charities including Tearfund and travelled widely across the Highlands with Len, who is a reader in the Church of Scotland.
Both were members at The Barn Church, Culloden, and Len is currently interim moderator at Dalneigh and Bona Church, Inverness.