Ethel

Today in a few hours, we prepare to say the final goodbye to Ethel.  She was one of a kind. 

Although diagnosed with lung cancer last year and having to undergo the unpleasant chemotherapy, she carried on just as before for as long as she could, showing the same dignity and courage she had showed throughout her life.   There will be many present  who are more able to wax lyrical about her golfing achievements, both on and off the course, so we shall leave that side of her to them.

The Ethel we knew (and loved) was quite simply a unique and very special person, someone to whom people of all ages and walks of life could relate.  She meant something to everyone who knew her, from the young aspiring golfer to the not-so-young (and aspired), quite simply because she was interested in them.  Her support for girls', women's and senior golf (including vets) was unstinting, whether it took the form of sending cards and good wishes, on the spot advice, flag-waving, caddying, you name it , she did it.  She even helped on the desk at the Vets Spring Meeting when she was already critically ill and clearly quite exhausted. 

But beyond all that, when in full flood, she could quite literally light up a room.  Always relied on to come away with a wisecrack that would loosen the stays of the stuffiest of company, she saw straight through the ridiculous and pompous in any situation and cut it down to size.  She was never afraid to voice her opinion, to say it like she saw it, or to crush a contrary view with a disparaging laugh -  the view, but not the person who held it.  The often unsmiling facade, failing to hide her innate sense of fun, fooled no one, pulling only the flimsiest of curtains over a heart of pure gold. That infectious laugh will ring out in people's memories for long days to come - and make them smile back.  As for her repartee and off the cuff humour, she was famed for them.  Indeed, some of her little personal stories and speeches will be long remembered and regurgitated many times in the future.  Could there have been an inauguration speech like hers at the SLGA Annual General Meeting - not renowned as a jolly day out - when she became President?  The hall was in an uproar.  And her address at the Midlothian Centenary Dinner, likewise.

Ethel had a circle of very good  friends who were a tower of strength to her towards the end.  Ballooning outwards from this was another larger circle of people who probably felt enormously priviledged to have been counted as friends.  To pass even a few moments with Ethel in idle chit-chat was likely to be  agreeably amusing, promised to leave that person with a big smile and generally feeling much better than before. She quite unconsciously was the centre of gravity in any company, possessing that kind of polar attraction.

This will undoubtedly be a sad occasion despite Ethel's request that her "mourners" wear bright clothes. However, it is almost guaranteed that at some point someone will tell a story about Ethel or repeat something hysterical she did or said.  From beyond the grave she will have done it again - broken the ice.  Step back a moment from it all, let the mind run free and just remember the laugh, the smile and that twinkle  in her eye.  Remember Ethel. .