Tributes have been paid to Scotland’s first specialist respiratory nurse, who has died at the age of 66.
Perth-born Maureen Blair, who spent 40 years working in the PRI in her native city before retiring in 2014, won promotion to the first-of-its kind position in 1992.
One former colleague said: “Maureen was a trailblazer. She was a huge mentor to me and a hard act to follow. She will be so missed by all who knew her.”
Her death was not linked to coronavirus.
Maureen was born in Perth on the September 23, 1953 to Irish parents Sonny and Mary McManamon.
She was soon joined by her late sister Anne in April 1956 and her brother Michael in January 1961 and raised in Newhouse Road, which was then Grange Terrace.
She was educated at St John’s Primary and St Columba’s Secondary in Perth followed by two years at Lawside Academy in Dundee.
She met husband to be Dave Blair when she was only 15 on a night out the dancing at the Salutation Hotel in the Fair City.
Maureen succeed in her ambition to enter the nursing profession in 1970 when she started a placement at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh.
She married Dave in 1974 before securing a full-time position at Perth Royal Infirmary. The couple were married on November 30, 1974 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Perth.
Their first child Vicki was born in the PRI in 1976. Son Stephen followed four years later, again at the Perth hospital.
Maureen continued to work part time on night duty at PRI juggling motherhood and night shifts by sleeping when the children were at school.
She continued to work at PRI in Ward 12 where she made many friends. In 1992 she was approached about a promotion to respiratory specialist.
She accepted the post immediately, becoming the first respiratory nurse in Scotland.
She was extremely proud of this achievement and continued to develop in her career, receiving many certificates of excellence.
Maureen never had the opportunity to go to university as a young girl, but seeing her daughter, Vicki do this she decided to attend Stirling University to do a BA Honours degree one evening a week while still working and looking after the family.
Football was a big part of the Blair family life and they all spent every weekend travelling around the country following St Johnstone.
After Maureen’s retirement in 2014, she made the most of her free time with husband Dave and went on holidays to Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Turkey.
She made many friends during her 40 year service in Perth Royal Infirmary and is remembered as a knowledgeable, kind, gentle and caring colleague and friend.
She leaves behind her devoted husband, her loving daughter, son, brother, daughter in law and her two grandchildren.
