Ella Dunn, who spent three decades at the heart of the community in Kincorth, Aberdeen, has died aged 85.
She was receptionist at Kincorth surgery from 1974 until her retiral in 2005.
Ella would work the late shift at the time the surgery was based at Abbotswell Crescent.
Her daughter, Elaine, said: “It is fair to say my mother knew everyone in the area. She loved going into the town and would be able to point out so many people she knew.”
Ella was born in Aberdeen and lived with her family at School Drive.
In 1949, when Kincorth was being built, the family got a house there which would be Ella’s home for the rest of her life.
After education at Ruthrieston School, Ella began work at John Watt’s newsagent in Holburn Street.
She was a keen ice skater and it was at the ice rink that Ella met her future husband, Robert (Graham Dunn).
He came from Dundee where he worked as a carpet fitter and would travel up to skate in Aberdeen.
The couple married in St Machar’s Cathedral, Aberdeen, in 1961 and went on to have two of a family: Elaine and Martin.
Community
Robert, who was also known as Bob, joined Aberdeen City Police in the late 1960s.
He worked first in the public office before postings to Tillydrone then the airport before being appointed the first community police officer for the Cove area.
After he retired from the police, Bob spent 11 years working for the court service. He died in 2008 aged 68.
Outside work, Ella loved to socialise with friends and even took up Zumba when she was in her 70s.
Elaine said: “She was a very sociable person and loved to meet friends for a coffee or lunch.
“When my father was alive they used to enjoy weekends away in Glasgow or Edinburgh and loved holidays in the sun to places like Cyprus, Malta or Spain.”
Conversation