THE convener of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has paid tribute to former Councillor Catherine MacEachen, who died aged 92 on Saturday February 24.
Born on Sunamul Island, Benbecula, in 1925 and following her early education at Balivanich School, Catherine moved to Glasgow to work in two hospitals until she was old enough to begin her nursing and midwifery training at the Eastern District Hospital on Duke Street. Catherine pursued her nursing career in a number of places, including Glasgow, University College Hospital London, Cambridge, Harrogate, Helensburgh, Falkirk and Taynuilt, before returning to Benbecula in 1955, when she married Donald Alex MacEachen, who predeceased her in 1975.
She continued in district nursing covering, at different times, every area from Harris to Barra, before working permanently for many years on the Grogarry, South Uist district.