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Thread: Tributes paid to generous Wicker

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    Default Tributes paid to generous Wicker

    "Duchess of Ducksie" was committed to family and town she took a pride in

    WICKERS paid their farewell respects to one of their leading lights, recently.

    The esteem in which Nancy Eaton was held, was evident from the large turnout at her pre-funeral service at which her considerable contribution to municipal and social life of her community was acknowledged.
    Laughter rippled through the mourners, at the funeral service at the Sinclair Rest Rooms, as humorous memories were interspersed the many, more formal, facets of Nancy’s long life.
    Ann B. Eaton passed away peacefully at the council-run, residential home, Pulteney House, Wick, on February 13, at the ripe old age of 92.
    She was born Nancy Swanson, one of a family of five children and was educated at Wick South primary school and Wick High secondary, where she displayed an aptitude for secretarial subjects. Predictably, the skills took her took her first job as one of the secretaries in the county clerk’s department of the then local authority, Caithness County Council and thereafter in the county architects department.
    Following a spell at the local tax office, Nancy, returned to the local authority and served it well, until her retirement in 1983 when she marked it, by treating her family to a family in Belgium.
    Itemising her various roles in the community, Rev Nugent listed Nancy’s service to the local community council, secretary of Wick Junior Choir travelling with it as far afield as Paisley, membership of the Rosebank Tennis Club, a night school teacher and on occasions, court shorthand writer. She was also a founder member of the Wick Senior Citizens now looking forward to its 50anniversary.
    Rev. Nugent spoke of her love of her family, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and her “legendary” generosity.
    The minister said Nancy was the source of new bikes at birthdays or Christmas and added “ If one of the children hinted they liked something, money for it would appear with the instruction- “Go and buy it”.
    A woman of many pairts, Nancy, with her trademark spectacles-on-a-chain, took a pride in her appearance. She had a wide circle of friends and enjoyed watching television soaps and trying newspaper competitions, often supplying the required slogan or sentence for others.
    Rev. Nugent said: “I asked Nancy’s family how they thought she would be remembered and the answer came back immediately-“a very generous lady committed to her children and to Wick.”
    Grandson Mark Manson expressed the family’s thanks to Pulteney House for caring for his grandmother and to mourners for coming along to share some of his memories of the woman with “a steely determination”, he also described as “this wonderful lady” who “didn’t suffer fools, gladly or otherwise”.
    He referred to Nancy “directing the troops” at the county offices by day and marshalling the ranks of local volunteers by night.
    Speaking of a “couple of the causes closest to her heart”, he went on: “She worked hard for the Wick Town Improvements Association, so much so, that daughters Margaret, Carole and granny Johannie dreaded the Midsummer madness that was gala week, retreating into the corners of their Ducksie abode, cowering as Hurricane Nancy swept all obstacles from her path”. (Grant Street where she lived is affectionately known by his byname as it once featured a duck pond).
    Nancy’s contribution to Wick Players’ productions were also“legendary” and Mark continued: “She begged, borrowed and scaffed props and stage settings or local performances even managing to persuade the famous James (Cuba) Cormack from Kirkhill to part with some of his treasured antiques.”
    Mark also spoke fondly of his granny’s “huge” generosity and concluded: “We always thought of her as the Duchess of Ducksie”.












    Last edited by Nwicker60; 22-Feb-13 at 00:23.

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