Shirley Dobbie, a beloved lollipop lady at Eastern Primary School, Broughty Ferry, has died aged 68 after a short illness.
Her death came just weeks after she lost her husband, John 72, who worked as a surveyor in Dundee and was involved in community activities in Broughty Ferry.
Shirley, who had been suffering from cancer, was hospitalised just days after John’s funeral on January 4.
Orkney-born Shirley trained as a nurse in Dundee and moved around Scotland and to Hong Kong as John’s job required.
She later became an area manager with Crossroads Caring Scotland, studied horticulture, and worked at the botanic gardens in Dundee before becoming a lollipop lady.
Shirley was the daughter of baker William Brown and his wife, Jeannie, and grew up in Westray with a brother, Malcolm, and sister, Alison.
She went to Westray Junior School before boarding at Kirkwall Grammar School from the age of 13.
When she left school, Shirley moved to Dundee to study nursing at Maryfield Hospital. In 1974 she met John at a house party in Dundee and the couple married at Westray Baptist Church in 1977.
They had two children, Malcolm and Kathy, and were beloved grandparents to Bethan and William.
The couple set up home in Park Avenue, Dundee, before moving to Nairn for John’s work then to Shetland, and Hong Kong for a period, before returning to Broughty Ferry.
Shirley was a talented knitter and in her free time she produced baby clothes, cushions, blankets, jumpers, and in recent times sold cushions in a shop in Carnoustie.
Throughout her life, Shirley maintained close contact with her family in Orkney, where many holidays were spent.
During her time as a lollipop lady, Shirley earned the affection and respect of pupils and parents and often received gifts from grateful families.
A keen gardener, theatre and music lover, Shirley and John were a familiar couple walking their dogs on the beach, where she often collected glass and pebbles to make household decorations.
Shirley hid just how ill she was but through determination, was able to give her husband his final send off.
She was discharged from hospital and spent her birthday, February 24, at home where she died three days later.
You can read the family’s announcement here.
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