Joan Stewart, a former charge nurse at Strathmartine Hospital, Dundee, has died peacefully aged 80.
Joan was born in Dundee, the eldest of five children to Bob and Margaret Glass.
She was raised in a prefab in Blackshade and attended various primary schools, then Rockwell Secondary.
When she left school she went to Seymour Lodge Pre-Nursing College.
Once qualified as a nurse, she fulfilled her ambition to help those with learning disabilities and started her career at the now demolished Strathmartine Hospital.
How did Joan’s career progress at Strathmartine Hospital?
Joan worked in various wards, eventually becoming charge nurse of a ward responsible for caring for adult males.
About 1990, it became policy to integrate long term patients into the community and Joan was partly responsible for initiating this programme.
Husband Ian told The Courier: “She was charged with organising a home in Perth for some of her patients.
“She sometimes referred to it as her stately home. It was formerly a big house on the banks of the Tay.
“Once this was operating successfully, she became responsible for another house in Perth, and later another house in Carnoustie.
“Her working day, and sometimes night, was spent supervising the three houses.”
Joan’s last year prior to retirement was spent back at Strathmartine.
Throughout her career, her priority was the care and wellbeing of initially her patients, but subsequently those who became the residents of the homes she was responsible for.
Where and when did Joan and Ian marry?
Joan and Ian married at Park Church, Dundee, in 1966.
They first met at the Haparanda coffee bar on Arbroath Road.
‘The Hap’, as it was known, was the place to be seen for trendy teenagers in the Swinging Sixties. It became ultra-popular.
Dundee’s hip teens gathered in the evenings to listen to the latest chart music and dance the night away with their friends.
So many friendships and romances started there.
How will Joan Stewart be remembered?
Reflecting on his first impressions of Joan and how she will be remembered, Ian said: “She was very pleasant. You only had to ask and she was always happy to help”.
Joan and Ian had one son, David.
Her retirement was spent helping with her three grandchildren, mainly on the school run.
Away from work her interests were crafting and reading.
She also loved the theatre – especially Dundee Rep, Pitlochry Theatre, and musicals at the Edinburgh Playhouse.
Joan is survived by her husband Ian and son David.
She was also a dear mother-in-law to Irene and a loving granny to Shannon, Aaron and Mya and great-gran of Seren.
Joan was also a loving sister of Eleanor, George, Morag and the late Gordon.
A funeral service took place at Dundee Crematorium, on Wednesday April 2.
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