Though proud to have been born in N. Ireland, Maureen spent most of her early life in Edinburgh, attending Edinburgh Ladies College and then Dollar Academy. She came from a military background, with many relatives in the armed forces, and during World War II Maureen served in the WAAF, with three pips on her shoulder.

After study at Edinburgh University her first job was as a personnel officer with Ferranti’s in Manchester before coming to Dundee to Henderson’s jute mill in the early 1950’s. She subsequently joined Dundee University Library staff as sub librarian and was an influential and popular member of the university community in the days when it seemed one large family. She was later elected to Senate. She retired from the University in the mid 1980s.

It was in the early 1950s that she visited the Iona Community and her whole view on life changed. She developed a deeply felt spiritual involvement, and this led to her long-term activity in the whole area of social justice – Fair Trade, peace, CND, green & sustainable future issues and more – which she supported in every way she could. But in both paid and voluntary work she still worked with military precision.

Maureen still enjoyed being daughter of the Lord Provost. She accompanied her father on a number of official occasions, and when the Queen opened the Forth Road Bridge in 1964 Maureen was there.

She had wide interests outside her paid employment. As a member of Soroptimist International from 1964, she was president of the Dundee Club from ’71-‘73. An early supporter of the new Dundee Council of Social Service (now DVA) she was instrumental in setting up two thrift shops, and was a prime mover in developing the Dundee Access Group, which soon set about tackling issues concerning accessible transport and access in general, including the ramp to the Caird Hall.

An interest in other countries took her to China, Iceland, & Palestine, as well as nearer countries. Always interested in the arts in all forms, she was a regular visitor to the Edinburgh Festival, RSNO, Scottish Opera, and supporter of all local theatre & musical events: despite increasing disability she was determined to get there. Even when, latterly, Maureen needed a wheelchair to get out and about nothing dimmed her commitment to a world fit to live in.