Mum always put others first

Daughter in moving tribute to Perth's first female provost

- KATHRYN ANDERSON

The daughter of Perth’s first ever female provost has paid tribute to her mum as a devoted family woman who always put others first.

Jean McCormack DL died on Wednesday, June 18 aged 87.

First elected onto Perth and Kinross Council in 1982, Jean went on to serve as deputy leader, leader of the administration, then provost from 1992 to 1996 and was a Deputy Lieutenant until aged 76.

Born and raised in Dundee, Jean was the second of four girls.

She is survived by her husband Peter (88), son Peter (62), daughter Carrie McLennan (60) and her five grandchildren: Katie, Reece and Lewis McLennan and Patrick and Olivia McCormack.

Daughter Carrie said her mum was "always thinking of other people and how to make life easier for others".

While Jean served as a Conservative councillor, her political life started with a stint doing voluntary work for a senior SNP politician.

Her uncle Wallace Kinloch was the election agent for SNP MP for Perth and East Perthshire Douglas Crawford. He asked her to take on the job of constituency secretary in 1976.

Carrie said: "She was unsure about it but he said, 'You can write letters, answer telephone calls, what else do you need'? And she thrived on that and really enjoyed it. It was a voluntary role.