A longstanding Fife Guides leader has been described as an “inspiration” to generations of girls following her death aged 82.
Greta Heggie died peacefully in her sleep at her home in Dalgety Bay earlier this week.
While working as a learning support teacher, she became a Brownie leader Whitburn, West Lothian, in 1967 before moving with her family to Dalgety Bay in May 1968.
Surprised by the lack of recreational opportunities for young girls in the area, she was instrumental in setting up the first Brownies and Guides group a short time later along with friend, Helen Baird.
Years of commitment to Guides and Brownies
With Helen responsible for the older Guides, Greta became leader of the 1st Dalgety Bay Brownies, a role that she would keep for more than 30 years.
During that time she also held the role of district commissioner for 10 years – double the original five-year appointment – because, as she told friends: “No one else offered and it had to be done for the benefit of the girls.”
Despite stepping back from her leader’s role after more than 30 years, Greta remained active within the Guiding movement.
She later accepted the role of chair of the Friends of Guiding Group, supporting local units with fundraising and organising scores coffee mornings and other charity events.
Services recognised by award
Greta also continued to actively attend all district events, supporting girls and leaders alike.
Furthermore she joined the groups on some of the district camps, most notably accompanying girls to Disneyland Paris in 2018.
Her services to the community were recognised by Dalgety Bay Community Council in 1994 when she was presented with the Timms Award.
Romana Grant, fellow Brownie leader and county international adviser for Girlguiding Fife, described her friend as “everyone’s beloved Greta”.
She said: “Original Brownies will remember Greta’s legendary weekly nail inspection.
“To this day, when any of us meet up, we often check our nails to see if they are up to Greta’s standards.”
‘Wonderful, caring and wise woman’
Elizabeth Parish, one of Greta’s Brownies in 1985 and a Guiding leader and commissioner herself since 2010, described her as “a wonderful, caring and wise woman”.
She added: “She was always such good fun and will be fondly remembered as a firm friend and an absolute inspiration to many a leader over the years.”
Following her retirement, the Greta Heggie Award – a silver trophy awarded annually to any district member or local person who has supported Girlguiding – was also introduced.
Jane Parker, a police officer and Guide leader, is the award’s most recent recipient – and says Greta was “the heartbeat of guiding in area”.
She said: “She’ll be so greatly missed by everyone involved, not only in the Guiding movement but also from her bowling, golf and footballing exploits.”
Mum ‘loved by so many’
Son Walter Heggie says the family have been humbled by support of those who knew his mum.
He told The Courier: “It’s been a source of great comfort to all of the family to see how much my mum was loved by so many.
“We often joked that she had one son but thousands of daughters given the amount of young girls she was a mother figure to throughout her guiding years.”
Hearts season ticket-holder
Away from guiding, Greta enjoyed a variety of sports and was a longstanding member of both Aberdour’s bowling and golf clubs.
She was also a keen football fan and avid Hearts season ticket-holder having supported the team for more than 60 years.
She is survived by her husband Willie, son Walter and daughter-in-law Rowena, plus a granddaughter and grandson, of whom the family say she was extremely proud of.
A funeral service is to take place at Dalgety Bay Church at noon on August 3 followed by a gathering at Dunfermline Crematorium at 1.15pm.
The family have requested no flowers with donations taken in support of local Guiding groups.
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