Attempts to complete the picture of woman whose legacy lives on

Marie Dargie never forgot her home town of Brechin

A globe-trotting wartime ambulance driver from Brechin is still helping others in her home town more than 30 years after her death.

Marie Dargie (nee Fairweather) was born at Fern in Brechin in 1900 and served as an ambulance driver on mercy missions in the First World War.

She worked as a doctor’s secretary after the war before marrying David Dargie in Brechin in 1937. They then lived in Hawaii and the Philippines.

Japan attacked the Philippines in December 1941, and Mrs Dargie was held as a prisoner of war from 1942-45 at the Santo Tomas Internment Camp.

Following the war the Dargies moved back to Hawaii, before eventually settling in Redwood City, California.

Mr Dargie died some years before Mrs Dargie passed away on Christmas Eve 1987 in San Mateo, California.

Mrs Dargie never forgot her connection to Brechin. In accordance with her will, a proportion of her estate was set aside to create a charitable trust. The Mrs Marie Dargie Trust was founded on August 1988 to provide “relief of those in need by reason of age, ill health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage”. The beneficiaries were to be “the senior citizens of pensionable age in Brechin”.

Kudzi Campbell, of the Chamber Practice Solicitors, said the trust would like to “appeal to members of the local community with specific regard to anyone who may have more information about the late Mrs Marie Dargie and photographs of her”.

The trust has been involved in projects to support senior citizens in Brechin.

Currently administered by the Chamber Practice Solicitors in Brechin, it continues to provide grants to senior citizens under its TV licence scheme.

These are awarded to senior citizens towards the overall cost of their licence. To date the scheme has awarded grants to considerably more than 1,000 locals.

In response to upcoming changes to the television licence, whereby only some over-75s will get it for free, the trust is reviewing its grant system with a view to amalgamating the grant and increasing the value.

The trustees are hosting a free lunch on March 25 from noon to 3pm at the Northern Hotel in Brechin to help relaunch the Marie Dargie Trust.

Attendees are encouraged to contact the Chamber Practice Solicitors to reserve free tickets.

It is also welcoming any organisations that would like to apply for a grant.

Appeal to members of the local community ... who may have more information about the late Mrs Marie Dargie and photographs of her.

KUDZI CAMPBELL