Sheila McDade

We went to Sheila McDade's funeral this afternoon. Sheila lived for many years in a cottage right on the waterfront at Portuairk, and we knew her as a customer when we ran The Ferry Stores - but she was more, as she was always so generous and kind to the daughter we brought up with us, aged seven, from Essex. Rachael is now travelling in New Zealand and, when we told her of the news of Sheila's death, she wrote to say how sad she was, and that she was still using the sponge bag Sheila had given her one Christmas.

As so often happens at funerals, we learned so much about Sheila's life which we wish we'd known while she was still living in our community, for she had a very interest and full life before she came to live quietly in Portuairk. She had, for example, for many years been a nurse on luxury liners on the Far East run.

Sheila will be remembered by us for her gentle kindness. She will be very sadly missed.

Picture shows dawn over Ben Hiant this morning.