A life well lived by a woman well known

Molly was born in the Knoll, while the family was living at Elmford; she was one of twins, but twin Sandy died at birth; and she was born into a great farming family and with two elder brothers, Wilbert and Ian.

Molly’s mum was so happy that now she had a daughter, but there were many who thought that she was more like a third son as Molly was always determined to match her brothers and, if they got new dungarees, then there had to be a pair for her as well.

Molly went to school at Morebattle – the family had by now moved to Gateshaw. She walked to school each day, slowly there and quickly back.

Occasionally, she was driven to school by her Mum – well, it was the only way of ensuring that she actually got there. Her schooling was completed at Ochtertyre where she continued to show her adventurous spirit, nearly getting expelled for taking a rowing boat out onto a lake in the moonlight.

Molly’s father died when she was just fifteen. Molly spent two years working on the farm doing everything and then enrolled at Peel Hospital for nursing training during which time she made many life-long friends.

When she came from Peel she would drive the tractor and ride horses. It has to be said that Molly was extremely competitive, up for trying anything and giving everything 100%. She skied down the steep fields on the farm and later shared her brother Wilbert’s flair for driving by beating local rally legend Andrew Cowan in an autocross event!

Graduating as a staff nurse, and qualifying in midwifery at Simpson’s in Edinburgh, Molly went on to complete five years at Simpson’s before, on June 26, 1969, Molly emigrated as a £10 Pom, landing in Perth to take up a position at the Royal Perth Hospital.

Here her magnetic personality full of humour, charm and song – the Molly we grew to know and love – attracted a friendship circle made up of fellow Scots and Australians.

While Molly was surrounded by her new friends and was enjoying nursing, she was still filled with wander-lust.

And so it was that Molly, accompanied by Mary Campbell from Skye, took passage on a cargo ship and sailed to Darwin where together they went nursing.

Nursing in Darwin was a special experience, and Molly loved looking after the Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders. They showed her equal respect, and a valued souvenir of her time here was a didgeridoo personally made for her by an Aboriginal patient.

The next stage in Molly’s adventure involved a drive from the far north, all the way to Melbourne and Sydney; four girls in a VW Combi van, Molly, Mary and two other Scots, Brenda and Barbara – but only Molly knew how to drive.

Molly returned to Scotland on a six-week voyage in 1972 with her friends Mary and Jane. She met up with David who had travelled from Ayton to Gateshaw to visit Wilbert in connection with both of their loves of motor-sport.

Molly’s friend, Jane, observed Molly and David together at Gateshaw and later admitted that it was clear to her then that "Moll was going to marry that bloke”.

However, Molly returned to Australia for another couple of years, but David popped the question on a visit to New Zealand.

On receiving an answer in the affirmative, David telephoned Molly’s mother, who just laughed: “It will be the talk of the Duns Show.”

Molly and David returned to Scotland in the Autumn of 1974, were married in Morebattle Church on January 14, 1975 and came to their present home to begin their married life.

In time, their son Sandy was born and Molly began the working career for which she is remembered by many.

First, she was a nurse at Kelso Hospital and then when Sandy was a little older, as Night Sister in the Knoll Hospital in Duns where she was responsible for 44 patients, and a vocation with which she continued until her retirement in the late 1990s.

Molly and David travelled to Australia to meet friends and family, and to London, Ireland and the Netherlands to visit Sandy.

And then, in 2013, Sandy and his wife Wendy emigrated to Perth, Australia on June 26 – exactly the same date that Molly had left for Australia all those years before.

Molly and David spent many long and enjoyable holidays in Australia and Molly always visited her old friends in Melbourne.

Molly was well known to be a bubbly and kind person. She had time for everyone and she loved to laugh. She made many friends.

She was passionate about her hobbies. She became Ladies Captain at Duns Golf Club and won many competitions. She also loved to have the opportunity of playing new courses. She took her golf seriously.

She was a wonderful photographer, starting in the days before digital and then embracing technology.

Molly was also so energetic. She loved to walk, she loved to garden, she spent her 75th birthday in a canoe, and then she got her electric bicycle and she "stretched it to the limit”.

She took up genealogy, working online and visiting Register House, and discovering all kinds of fascinating details about her forebears.

Molly is survived by her husband David, her son Sandy and his wife Wendy.

An extract from the tribute paid to Molly by the Parish Minister at her recent funeral in Fogo Parish Church.