Scotsman Obituaries: Esther Crawford, medical secretary turned swimming coach and stalwart of Borders community life

Esther Crawford passed away peacefully in the Margaret Kerr Unit, Melrose, surrounded by her family and friends.

She was born in 1938 and grew up with her parents, Georgina and Richard Paterson, and elder brother Bill in Kirkbrae, Galashiels. Esther was educated at the Burgh school and Galashiels Academy, a bright pupil who could have gone to university but left school at 16 to be a medical secretary at Peel Hospital before joining the Borders Health Board in Newstead.

Growing up in Galashiels, Esther, vivacious and a natural socialiser, was involved in the swimming club, the cricket club, Young Farmers and the Life Boys, in which she was an officer, training and mentoring younger members. She also found time to play hockey for Gala Ladies and later, once she was married, for Melrose Ladies and South of Scotland XI. It was through hockey that she met her lifelong friend Sheila Hogg and with their young families they must have visited or played at every venue in Scotland in all kinds of weather.

World travel was one of Esther Crawford's many and varied interests

She first met her future husband John Crawford at her 16th birthday party but it was not until John had completed his National Service with the King's Own Scottish Borderers that they got together; they wed in August 1960.

Over the next decade they were blessed with four children, Michael, Malcolm, Cameron and Callum. Esther resigned from the NHS to devote herself to her husband and the boys and John always contended that if she had stayed with the NHS she would have ended up running the whole thing!

Family life did not slow Esther down, she continued with her hockey as secretary of Melrose Ladies, taking responsibility for organising matches, sometimes having to admit her geography was wrong as trips ended up longer and further away than first anticipated...

When the boys were at school, Esther went back to night school where she obtained higher passes in both English and French. She continued with her French classes for many years and became a fluent speaker, which stood her in good stead when John and she purchased a home near Carcassonne.

She loved horse riding and taking part in the Border Common Ridings, especially Gala Day. The Elwyn Glen riding stable was established along with Elspeth Adam, providing many local children with a pathway into equestrian sport.

Esther had a passion for swimming, qualifying as an SSA coach, and after teaching her children to swim she opened up the pool at Dunkeld, providing swimming and led coaching lessons for St Mary’s School pupils and friends and neighbours. She offered the pool to Doddie Weir for his weekly rehab sessions, especially enjoying the banter with Doddie and Gary Armstrong, and a sherry after pool sessions was always preferred to a “shivery bite”.

Esther loved country dancing in the winter months and in the summer she was a keen golfer, although in her own words, with a hockey swing rather than a golf swing. She captained the Melrose Ladies and also found time to be treasurer for 25 years.

When the Scottish regiments were to be amalgamated, she and John joined other members of the KOSB family in trying to save the regiment. Together with KOSB veterans, John and she accepted the invitation of the Malaysian Prime Minister to take part in the 50-year commemoration of the successful fight against the communist insurgency. They participated in reunion dinners together and for many years attended the Minden Day Parade and Cenotaph ceremonies. They organised reunion dinners together, with Esther taking charge of proceedings.

Esther never forgot her Gala roots and was a staunch member of the Old Gala Club and a frequent visitor to Netherdale on match days, shouting loudly in support of Gala – unless they were playing Melrose.

She loved Melrose and was a member and lifelong supporter of the rugby club and in recent years took great pride in watching her grandsons wear the yellow and black. At Melrose Sevens time she and John hosted many players from guest teams worldwide. Dunkeld, on the Saturday evening of the Sevens, was the hub for young and old – sitting around the dining room table with old friends, children and grandchildren gave Esther unbounded joy and satisfaction. Other interests included the Messy Church and Melrose in Bloom – Esther could often be seen weeding and planting in the town.

In recent years she became a volunteer with the Trimontium Trust, providing guided walks from Melrose to Newstead. She travelled twice to Turkey with the Trust and was accompanied by her archaeologist granddaughter Annabel, who was amazed by her appetite for knowledge.

Walking and chatting with her female friends was another of her hobbies and even with dodgy knees she rarely missed her Monday walks.

In later years Esther and John travelled extensively to the US, South America, the Far East and all over Europe, and enjoyed many trips with their very close friends Sheila and Dave Hogg nearer to home.

She loved to dance, learning the tango in Rio De Janeiro, to sing and play the spoons, and enjoyed the love of kin and fellowship of friends. She was irrepressible, breezy, chipper, full of beans, all of these things and much more, and was loved not only in Melrose but further afield.

Esther will be sorely missed by her immediate family, nieces and nephews and all of us who were privileged to know her. She would want us to know that she gave her all, did her best and left this world a better place because she was here. Although Esther lived most of her remarkable life in Melrose, she was and always will be remembered as a Braw, Braw Lass.

She is survived by her four sons, John having predeceased Esther.

Her funeral will take place at Melrose Parish Church on Wednesday 26 February 2025 at 11.30am, followed by interment at the Wairds cemetery, Melrose.

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