Elizabeth Speid, who has died aged 83, spent more than a decade as registrar for Monifieth and took great pride in being at the heart of the community.
It was Elizabeth who recorded all the local births, deaths and marriages in the burgh from the early 1970s until the late 1980s, when the function was moved to Dundee.
She had begun her local government career with the old Dundee Corporation in City Square but gave up work to raise her sons, Alistair and John.
Elizabeth returned to work in 1974, working with Monifieth town clerk and registrar, Ian Allan. When he retired, Elizabeth was promoted to registrar and remained in post until 1986 when she transferred to council offices in Dundee.
She was born to Norman and Chrissy Dick, at home in Hill Street, Dundee, in February 1940.
She was the youngest of four daughters, a sister to Doreen, Norma and Christine. The family moved to Woodlands Terrace, Dundee, and Elizabeth remained there until her marriage.
Award winner
She was educated at Harris Academy, where she was awarded a prize for excellence in secretarial studies.
Her first job was in the town clerk’s department with Dundee Corporation in City Square.
It was while working here that she was asked to take part in a Milk Is Good For You campaign where she was pictured eating ice cream in Dundee City Square, which was published in The Courier.
Her best friend, Toni, also worked in the City Square and was with her on the evening she met her future husband, Alistair Speid, at the JM Ballroom in 1959.
They were together for a short time before Alistair had to return to sea for two years with the Merchant Navy.
Marriage
Despite the distance, they remained a couple, marrying on August 31 1963. The happy couple honeymooned in Edinburgh before returning to their new home in Monifieth where they lived together for almost 60 years.
Elizabeth and Alistair had two sons; Alistair born in June 1966, followed by John in May 1969. Elizabeth made friends with other young mums in the neighbourhood, many of whom became lifelong friends.
After her career in local government Elizabeth took early retirement in 1991 which allowed her to help look after her first grandchild Alistair, who was born in 1992.
Next generation
She welcomed the births of three more grandchildren: Rachel in 1996, Jennifer in 1999 and Michael in 2003. She was a doting grandmother who spoke proudly to friends and family of all their achievements.
Elizabeth loved to watch tennis and always took the same holiday in the summer: Wimbledon fortnight.
In 2005, her daughter-in-law, Julie, arranged a day at Wimbledon’s centre court to mark Elizabeth’s 65th birthday.
Leisure time
Although she never played tennis, at the age of 61, she decided to take up golf and played for five years with her sister Norma and friend Toni, taking advantage of the Ashludie course being right on her doorstep.
She was a member of the Grange golf club and for many years she and Alistair would meet their friends there and enjoy Saturday night bingo and dances.
Elizabeth, who loved to entertain and host family parties, never held a passport: she was always happiest at home surrounded with her loved ones.
She did, however, enjoy the occasional holiday in Bournemouth, visiting the family of her daughter-in-law Louise, who had become close friends.
Her sons said: “Our mother was kind and generous to everyone she met. She never forgot a birthday and would always spend time choosing a card, which truly reflected the sentiment she felt for her husband, family and friends. She will be sadly missed by all who knew her.”
You can read the family’s announcement here.
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