Life-saving Dundee nurse Patricia Brown, who also delivered hundreds of babies, has died aged 73.
The early part of her career was spent in neurology at Dundee Royal Infirmary before she moved to obstetrics and gynaecology at Ninewells Hospital.
Patricia, known as Pat, later trained in practice nursing at Ryehill before a move to Hawkhill medical centre and then the Stobswell practice.
She also made the headlines in 2010 when she saved the life of Perth man Jimmy Henderson who choked during an outing to Ballumbie Golf Club.
Pat performed the Heimlich manoeuvre after Jimmy stopped breathing and his heart stopped.
She then oversaw CPR and gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation before paramedics arrived. A grateful Jimmy was able to leave hospital later that day.
Rachel, one of Pat’s daughters, said: “She was pleased to have been able to help Mr Henderson but over the years she saved many lives.
“Me and my sisters have met so many people over the years who have told us that mum saved their lives and the care that she gave to them after their head injuries, life-changing surgeries and operations was absolutely second to none.”
Patricia was born in Corstorphine, Edinburgh, in July 1950, the middle daughter of Michael and Margaret Wilson.
She attended Corstorphine Primary School, the local Sunday School and Brownies and went to Forrester High School for her secondary education.
Pat left aged 15 to go to Dean nursing college in the capital because she was too young to go to university.
When she was old enough, she chose Dundee University because of the pioneering nursing training that was to take place there when Ninewells Hospital opened.
“It was the place to be if you wanted to advance your nursing career,” said Rachel.
“There were delays to the Ninewells project so mum ended up studying at DRI and completed her degree there.
“During her studies she met Dave, also from Edinburgh and they navigated their way through university life and their early 20s together.”
The couple had three of a family, Linsey, Katie and Rachel, and eventually set up home in Mains Loan, Dundee.
When Ninewells opened, Pat moved there to work in obstetrics and gynaecology before leaving to train in practice nursing.
The final part of her career was spent at the Stobswell practice from where she retired in 2015.
In 1993, Pat married Bill Brown, a long-serving photographer with The Courier who had covered major events like Lockerbie and the Dunblane tragedy.
“They had a wonderful marriage filled with holidays and sun,” said Rachel.
“They visited many places in Europe, stayed in some of the most wonderful hotels and they just really flourished with each other, travelling and feeling the sun on their faces and just enjoying life.”
In 2000, Pat became grandmother to Emily, followed by Charlotte in 2006 and Leo in 2012.
“Leo was quickly named the man of the house because mum had devastatingly lost her Bill in 2010.
“The last few years for mum were not free of heartache and pain, although she never once complained and always managed to be her super-glamorous self, and continue to devote herself to her family.
“Mum was fiercely protective of what she believed in, and was never swayed from what she thought was right, and wrong, which made her the most fantastic nurse, friend, wife, mum, sister and grandma.”
You can read the family’s announcement here.
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