Margaret Beattie, the longest-serving member of Aberdeen Opera Company, has died aged 83.
Over nearly seven decades she sung in nearly every production by the company.
Margaret attended her first rehearsal as a 16-year-old when the company met at Skene Street Church.
Her first performance was Gilbert and Sullivan’s Yeoman of the Guard. She was a talented vocalist who relished being in the choir and never coveted a lead role.
Margaret spent a large part of her life working in an art shop in the city and in retirement became a Saturday volunteer at Aberdeen Arts Centre serving refreshments to the young people attending drama classes, rehearsals and performing in shows.
She was born in Linksfield, Aberdeen, to Ann and George Adams, parents who possessed a touch of glamour.
Musical family
Margaret’s mother was a piano player and talented singer while her father ran cocktail bars in hotels in the city.
She was educated at Linksfield primary and Old Aberdeen Junior Secondary.
When Margaret left school she began working at the Co-operative chemist in George Street where she became lifelong friends with some of her colleagues.
She met her future husband, Andy, at the dancing and the couple married at St Mary’s, King Street, on December 10, 1960.
The couple were to remain married for 60 years until Andy’s death at the start of this year. They celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary at home with family, an afternoon tea and a card from the Queen to mark the occasion.
Margaret was introduced to singing by her mother and, by the time she was 16, she had become a member of Aberdeen Opera Company.
Town house reception
She went on to become its longest-serving member and was honoured with a reception at Aberdeen town house.
Over the years, Margaret became a lynchpin of the company’s chorus and attended rehearsals every Monday evening.
Her daughter-in-law, Fiona, said: “Margaret enjoyed the interaction with a wide range of Aberdeen’s talented musicians, singers and performers in the Civic Arts and His Majesty’s Theatre.
“She was especially fond of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas such as the Mikado and Pirates of Penzance. An occasional treat was going out to the theatre to see a show with her friends.”
In the mid 1960s Margaret, who was known as Meg, Andy and their young sons Ian and Alan, moved to Hazlehead where they lived happily for 55 years.
Art shop
When her boys went to school Margaret returned to work part-time at Taylor’s Art Salon in Schoolhill.
Margaret worked there for many years and rose to become manager under its new branding, Sime Malloch.