Delivered at her funeral on 22nd August by her niece Jane

On 2nd January 1927 in Cromarty Gardens Tain, Margaret was born the youngest of 5 children born to Edward and Annie Fox. She was a very loved part of a close family, a sister to Willie, Mary, Andrew and Charles. She was baptised in this very church where the family regularly worshiped later being confirmed here too and while living in Tain worshiped here every week.

Her father was the Fox of Fox and Maclean motors on Stafford Street and within a few years the family had moved to the house next to the garage. She enjoyed school and many friendships she made there have been lifelong friendships. Tragically her father died after an accident when she was just 8 years old. This meant the garage and house had to be sold and the family moved to 6 Manse Street where her mother took lodgers into the house to make ends meet.

War time led to many changes not least the billeting of soldiers in the house. Money was tight and so when there was an opening at the Tain Post Office for a junior clerk, Margaret left school and went to work. She made wonderful friendships with the other Post Office staff: friendships which continued right to the end of her life. She enjoyed so many things music helping in the NAAFI, and life in general but the family suffered yet more sadness when her brother Charlie to whom Margaret was especially close, caught TB and despite many many months in the sanitorium sadly died aged 23.

Soon a move to Invergordon Post office materialised so for years she travelled by bus daily making friendships with all who travelled with her and in 1955 she was able to get a council house in Invergordon for her mother and herself. She became a real part of the community there cycling down the brae to work home for lunch and back again for the afternoon. She attended St Ninians Church there where she regularly played the organ. She kept working in the Post Office even when caring for her mother who’s health began to fail and so needed a lot of caring. Margaret organized helpers around her work schedule and still found time to bake scrumptious teas for all the family when they came to visit, making time to play with her nephews and nieces taking us walks down the donkey bridge and swimming in the sea there and boat trips across the firth to the Black Isle.

After her mothers death, life was different and she had some time for her own interests. Country dancing baking and cookery classes Playing the organ at St Ninians Singing in the Gaelic choir, Inter church fellowship meetings WRI to name a few. Holidays were a whole new world for her. Starting with a cruise up the Rhein she really enjoyed travel Over the next 40 years she had many holidays in Britain, A memorable tour to Provence, and when the opportunity arose to visit her cousins in Atlanta was delighted to have the company of the East Fife Male voice Choir (along with their wives) to chum her across the Atlantic. During that holiday she and her cousin also Margaret popped over to Canada to visit another cousin. She had always loved geography and any place mentioned had to be looked up in her trusty atlas. Now she was able to see places for herself.

She learned to drive in her 40s in order to be able to help out a neighbour but oh she loved being behind the wheel of her car. She used her car to help others and at the age of 90 still collected the old folk for church. She drove all over the highlands and islands exploring every country road and farm track north of inverness
and ventured south a couple of times to visit family. Caring for others came naturally to her. She looked after several neighbours over the years and in return she was blessed in having good neighbours who were also great friends. When her sister Mary was no longer able to live alone, Margaret immediately moved in to Cameron Road to care for her staying on after Mary’s death as she had now re-established her life in Tain.

She may have lived locally all her days, but she was the central correspondent of the family. Each Sunday when I phoned her, she would be busy writing letters ready to post the next day. Cousins and friends world wide received regular missives and she loved when she got the replies. All letters were shared with those who would be interested. She would read you the letter and then hand it to you so that you too could read it. Her birthday book was a vital part of her daily life and each month she wrote a list of everyone who’s birthday was coming up. Cards were posted and parcels dispatched and until the Post Office changed its rules a few years ago – parcels were tied up with string with lots of knots.

The last few years she decided not to go out anymore. Correspondence, phone calls and visitors ensured she was never lonely. She loved her visits from the church and during covid began to listen to the services from Portmahomack Free Church Continuing where her nephew John was the minister on the phone. She kept up the habit, Making copious notes right up until a couple of weeks ago.

To us she was simply Auntie or Auntie Margaret. She was fiercely independent right to the end, only accepting any care in the last two weeks. It has been a privilege to be her niece and to quote from the greetings she was sent on her 90th birthday She enriched the lives of 6 generations of family and Her years of generosity, caring and love have given us and those who have gone before us such a wonderful treasure store of memories.

Thank you, Auntie,