​Ella Forbes was a lovely woman, full of charm and gentle wit. I recall seeing her walking into town each day with her friend Margaret Pirie. In recent years they were both a little tottery, so they propped each other up as they wended their way along the pavement.  

Margaret and Ella were among the first people to go on the monthly Coupar Angus Senior’s Outings, which operated from 2009. The group visited various towns such as Abernyte, Crieff, Dunkeld, Saint Andrews and Arbroath.  

It was a great blow to Ella when Margaret died, but she continued to attend the monthly outings. It was then that I got to know her a bit, giving her a lift to the Freedom Coach and back again. She had a bright, cheerful presence; as one of her friends said, she always had a twinkle in her eye.  

It is no wonder that Ella’s death earlier this month prompted so many people to post on social media about their fond memories of her.  

I first heard the sad news from Ella’s niece Meta, who phoned me last week. She told me a little about Ella’s life.  

Ella left school at 14 to work in the fields. A lorry would pick her up each day and she would plant and pick crops such as turnips, potatoes etc. Basically she was a Land Girl in all but name.  

Ella married Dave Forbes in 1976. By chance they both had the same surname. At first they lived at Union Place, then Church Place where she lived for 60 years. When she first moved there as a young woman she was the youngest of the residents in the street and would often help the old folk living there.  

When she was 21 she started work for Willie McNeills grocery store at the High Street. Willie put her through her driving test so she could deliver to customers in Coupar and nearby towns such as Burrelton, Kirkinch, Meigle and Newtyle. When Willie McNeill died the shop became a branch of VG and Ella became the manageress, which she continued to be until her retirement at 65.  

Sadly David died in 1988. Ella had a brother and an older sister, Meta’s mum, who died in 2004.  

Ella enjoyed going to church events, gala days, tea dances and concerts at the Town Hall – often with her friend Margaret. Although Ella didn’t have children of her own, she enjoyed the kindness and companionship of family, friends and neighbours. Just a really special person altogether.  

Michael Gallagher