Art and design teacher, campaigner for voluntary assisted dying and charity supporter Kathleen Butlin has died aged 89.
After a teaching career in England, she retired to Dundee in the mid 1980s and became involved in civic life.
Ms Butlin helped raise funds for the return of RRS Discovery to Dundee, was a supporter of Verdant Works and designed products for sale in the shop at McManus Galleries.
She was born in Dundee in 1931. Her parents were both teachers and she was the eldest of three children.
Her father, Charles Mowat, was an Orcadian who had come south to study at Edinburgh University. He went on to become headteacher at Downfield and then Clepington primary schools.
Ms Butlin was educated at Morgan Academy before studying at Dundee College of Art, now Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design.
She graduated in 1954 with a diploma in design.
Along with fellow graduate Moira Macgregor, later to become a celebrated fashion illustrator, she was awarded a travelling scholarship which took them both to Paris, Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan.
She then went on to work within the commercial design industry, creating eye-catching designs for a wide range of products including tourist guidebooks, biscuit tins, ice lollies, plum pudding and even dried peas.
In 2018, Kathleen generously donated 100 of her drawings and designs to the University of Dundee Museum Collections.
They included many of her student pieces from the art college, now part of the university, and a wide range of her commercial design work.
Last year, with Kathleen’s support, the university was able to turn some of her student designs from the 1950s into printed products to help raise money for the collections
After her spell in commercial design, she moved into further education teaching in Sunderland in the 1960s.
During this period she lectured in art and design and also photography.
After marriage and divorce, Kathleen retired to Dundee.
Her nephew James Mowat said her forward-thinking outlook in art was underpinned by understated traditional values.
“Her choice of designed products whether china or curtains was ahead of its time. She was also a person who did not want a lot of fuss.
“My aunt was a stimulating person to speak to, was encouraging and inspiring to those who knew her, and saw things with a different eye.”
Euthanasia
From at least the early 1980s, Kathleen had campaigned for assisted dying to be made legal and attended conferences across Europe.
In retirement, Kathleen was a member of the ethics committee of an NHS patient partnership and a keen supporter and volunteer at Dundee Botanic Garden.
“She had a great independence of thought,” said James. “She was extremely well cared for at the end but I think, as a voluntary euthanasia campaigner, she was also frustrated and sad about the lack of progress.”
Kathleen has asked for her body to be donated to Dundee University for medical research and requested any donations to be made to the charity Dignity in Dying.
The family’s announcement can be read here.
