Valerie MacLeod, a former businesswoman in Dundee and Carnoustie, has died aged 86.
She was a psychologist and hypnotherapist in Dundee for many years and previously ran a laundrette in Carnoustie with her late husband, John, more usually known as Jack.
They started in business in Carnoustie after their butcher’s shop was demolished in the 1960s as part of the redevelopment of Logie Street, Dundee.
Early years
Valerie was born in Plymouth in 1936 to Frederick Haycroft. Her father was a Royal Navy materials purchaser and the family relocated to Dundee, which, as a jute centre, produced goods needed by the navy.
Her mother worked for many years running the canteen at the Smedley canning factory, near Kingsway in Dundee.
Valerie was educated at Harris Academy where she developed a love of ballet.
Dancing school
When she left school, she founded a dance academy in premises next to Lochee Baths, which she ran for over 10 years.
She later became an area manager for the Avon cosmetics company, coordinating agents across the east of Scotland.
Valerie met John, her future husband when he came to Dundee from Dunbeath, Caithness, to train as a butcher.
He began his apprenticeship with a butcher in Dura Street and worked in Broughty Ferry before taking over his uncle’s business, Andrew Boath, in Logie Street.
Marriage
They married at Lochee East Church in 1954 and had three of a family, Christine (Kirsty), Kenneth and Ian.
During the 1960s, many of the buildings in Logie Street were subjected to compulsory purchase and the family’s butcher shop was bulldozed and the couple made a career change.
They bought a shop in High Street, Carnoustie, and opened it as a laundrette, also offering dry cleaning.
University
Valerie combined running the business with completing a psychology degree through the Open University and, in the early 1980s opened a psychology and hypnotherapy practice in Reform Street.
The business was later moved to India Buildings in Meadowside where she saw clients three days a week.
Valerie had particular success helping clients give up smoking using hypnotherapy.
Outside work, Valerie had an active social life in book and writing clubs.
Valerie, who was predeceased by John in 1999, had four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
You can read the family’s announcement here.
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