Former Strichen teacher, farmer and founder of the North East Aberdeen-Angus Club, Melita Lee has died aged 100.
Strichen student
Born at Whitestripe Farm on March 19 1922 Melita Whyte Lee was a premature baby arriving at just seven months into her mother’s pregnancy.
She survived thanks to the care of her parents, John and Ethel Lee, who were said to have wrapped her in cotton wool for the first few months of her life.
Brought up on the farm Melita remained in Strichen most of her life until November 2019.
She had a happy childhood tending orphan lambs, playing with hens and looking after livestock.
These simple pleasures of life were enjoyed alongside her older siblings Alec and Gertrude.
Melita attended Strichen School, which in those days went to secondary level. It gave her the grounding for her chosen career in teaching.
However, in order to attend teacher training college in Aberdeen she had to brave blackouts and bombings of wartime years. On one occasion she arrived one day to find all the windows in the college shattered from an attack the previous evening.
A teacher for the generations
Melita’s first posting was to Peterhead North School where she faced a class of 50, with no free periods.
She taught handicrafts and physical education as well as reading, writing and arithmetic. Although it was a tough experience she always believed it stood her in good stead for the duration of her career.
After two years, she was transferred to Strichen School. Teaching primary six and seven and also maths, she remained there for almost 40 years until her retirement in 1982.
Melita was a strict disciplinarian who didn’t stand any nonsense, although was always fair. She was held in the highest esteem by her former pupils, teaching two or three generations of the same families.
A number of former pupils attended her funeral though, at her advanced years, she was predeceased by many others.
History buff
Miss Lee had a great interest in local history and one of her classes won the Aberdeenshire Heritage Trophy. Her interests outwith the school included teaching Scottish country dancing and enjoying membership of the Buchan Field Club.
Long summer school holidays afforded the opportunity of travel and over a period of years in the late 1950s and early 1960s she visited uncles and aunts in Canada, USA, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, as well as in the UK and Ireland.
Aberdeen-Angus
The Whitestripe Aberdeen-Angus herd, founded in 1918, and Border Leicester sheep flock were amongst the most prominent in Aberdeenshire in her father’s day.
They were carried on by Melita’s sister, Gertrude, 13 years Melita’s senior, until her retirement.
Aberdeen-Angus from the herd were exported to Argentina and the USA in the heyday of the breed.
In one halcyon period the Border Leicester ram lamb class at Reith and Anderson’s annual show and sale in Aberdeen, was won by Whitestripe Border Leicesters for five years in succession.
One also one sold for the then record price of 80gns (at a time when the going rate was 8-12gns).
Melita maintained an active interest in the farming business, keeping the books and naming all the Aberdeen-Angus calves. She continued to run the farm with the help of her great-nephew, Lee Walker, following Gertrude’s retirement.
Club founders
Both Gertude and Melita were founder members of the North East Aberdeen-Angus Club in 1972.
They took part in many of the club’s annual summer tours to view leading Aberdeen-Angus herds around the country. The Borders and Orkney were favourite destinations.
Melita also visited Denmark with the club in 1983. However, it was a visit to the then Prince of Wales’ Highgrove herd in Gloucestershire which she most enjoyed.
She was greeted by his Royal Highness who asked Melita what she thought of his cattle. “Better than expected,” was her curt but honest observation.
She also served for many years as treasurer of the club and was latterly made an honorary vice-president in recognition of her service.
Centenarian pride
A Strichen Stalwart, Melita moved to St Modans Care Home in Fraserburgh in 2019. She maintained a keen interest in the farming activities at Whitestripe and the successes of her relatives in the pedigree sheep world.
She was also particularly proud of her recognition by the Queen on her 100th birthday in March.
Her royal card was delivered by Aberdeenshire Lord Lieutenant, Sandy Manson, whose late mother was one of her former pupils.
She passed away in St Modans Care Home on Thursday December 8.
You can read the family’s announcement here.
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