Ingrid McGown, who spent decades at the centre of the Portsoy community, has died aged 80.
She was first receptionist and then manager at Portsoy medical practice from the early 1970s until her retiral.
Outside work, Ingrid was involved in a wide range of community organisations including Portsoy Brownies and the Ladies Circle.
Orkney
Ingrid Lawrence Corsie was born in April 1942 in Kirkwall, one of five children of Russell and Tina Corsie.
Her father died when she was only four and her mother brought up the family.
When she was 15, Ingrid went to secretarial college in Aberdeen and then returned to Kirkwall to work for a few years.
Adventure
At the age of 21, Ingrid wanted to see the world and moved to London to work, staying with a relative.
However, she found the city too busy so moved to Edinburgh and began work in a legal practice.
Not long after she arrived in Edinburgh, Ingrid met her future husband, Robert McGown, at an Orkney and Shetland Club dance.
Marriage
The couple married in 1965 and had two of a family, Inga born in 1970, and Alison in 1971.
After their marriage, Ingrid and Robert lived in Edinburgh for a short time before Robert’s job in the civil service took them to Norfolk.
A few years later they moved to Solihull when Robert was posted to Birmingham airport.
Return north
Their next move was to Glenglassaugh distillery near Portsoy where Robert began work as an excise officer.
The family lived on the distillery estate for 10 years. Ingrid worked in Buckie for a period before starting work as a receptionist at Portsoy Surgery where she got to know everyone in the area.
Home
In 1981, the family moved from the distillery to Fordyce, which remained the family home.
Ingrid progressed to become practice manager and spent many happy years working in the community.
Involvement
During this time she was involved in Portsoy Brownies and the Ladies Circle and when she retired she took up many activities including circuit training, aqua aerobics and swimming.
In 2001, her first grandson, Raif, was born, followed swiftly by Evan. Her grandson Jack was born in 2003 and the following year, her only granddaughter, Cerys, arrived.
She was predeceased by Robert in 2015 after a period of illness but she got on with life, engaged with her activities and the wider community.
Her daughter, Alison Arrowsmith, said: “Mum celebrated her 80th birthday last month, a milestone she had set herself.
“There were points where she was not sure she would make it but she certainly did in the end.
Family time
“She spent that very special weekend in her living room, with friends and family around here.
“The icing on the cake was when her four grandchildren arrived to celebrate with her. She honestly couldn’t have been more thrilled.”
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