Spirited Margaret 'never let disability hold her back'

Margaret Czerska, who was reunited with a long lost brother after a 33-year separation, has died at the age of 66.

Margaret Czerska was born in Edinburgh in 1944.

When her mother died when she was very young, Margaret's father left with her brother, Frank Czerski, for Ireland in 1972, leaving her behind to live with her disabled aunt in Edinburgh.

Having grown up together in a cottage on Ferniehill Road, and studied at Tollcross Primary School and Darroch High School on Gilmour Place, it was 33 years before the brother and sister would see each other again.

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She coped throughout her adult life with a rare muscle disability. She lived with dystonia toricollisa, a movement disorder that causes the muscles to contract and spasm involuntarily, from the age of 17.

In 2005, Frank, who believed his sister was dead, finally found her in the phone book on a visit to Edinburgh and the two were reunited, but he died just one year after their reunion.

Margaret lived in sheltered accommodation at St Leonard's at Bowmont Place.

Her best friend, Veronica McIvor, described her as a spirited and unique character, and said: "She never let the disability hold her back.

"She was a very interesting lady. She never thought of herself as old. The young staff were brilliant with her, they loved her to bits. Everyone loved her."

Although she had lost the power of speech due to her disability, Margaret enjoyed travelling and visited Lourdes a number of times with friends.

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Before her disability became too difficult she regularly attended and helped out at St Cuthbert's, Colinton.

Veronica said: "She liked to have a laugh, but she was a very spiritual lady."

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Always wanting to look her best, Margaret always made an effort to wear make-up and dressed up each day. She had a close companion in her dog Max, a retired greyhound, who Veronica said brought her a great deal of happiness.

"I would ask her to come out and she would say 'oh, but the dog will cry'. They really enjoyed each other's company." She was also a keen sculptor and liked to make sculptures of her dog.

Margaret died on 14 January. Her funeral service will take place on 27 January at 3.30pm at Mortonhall crematorium.

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