The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Tributes after region’ s former first lady dies
Former first lady of Perth and Kinross Sheila Culliven has died aged 84. She helped husband, Provost John Culliven, represent the district from 1996 and until 1999, often meeting royalty, attending conferences and visiting schools.
Outside politics, Sheila and John ran a guest house in Calvine from where Sheila operated a knitwear business.
The couple met in Sheila’s native Inverness 68 years ago and would have celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary later this year.
John said: “Sheila just loved the people of Perth and Kinross and I am delighted her name will live on in Culliven Court in Perth which bears her name.
“She beautiful woman who never had a bad word to say about anyone. I just loved the lassie.”
Sheila was born in Inverness in September 1938 to rail worker Roderick Mackenzie and his wife Isabella and grew up with older sisters Rhoda, Margaret and Patricia.
Her father served with the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders during the Second World War and was part of the 51st Highland Division that was taken into captivity at St Valery.
Sheila was educated at Crown School and then Inverness Royal Academy. When she left school she began work at the drapers, Cameron’s Economic Stores in High Street, and later WH Smith.
At the age of 17 she met her future husband, John, an apprentice plumber a year her senior.
John had been fitting a boiler at her parents’ house and the pair bumped into each other around the city before meeting at the dancing and going out steady.
They married at St Mary’s Church, Inverness, in 1958, where Sheila helped run the youth club. The couple went on to have four boys over the years; Graham, Scott, Craig and Gavin.
Early married life was interrupted when John was called up for National Service. As a boy growing up in Roybridge, he had watched the commando monument being built at nearby Spean Bridge. He was also there to watch the Queen Mother unveil it.
It seemed natural for him to join the Royal Marines and he emerged as the best recruit to complete the punishing commando course. He joined 40 Commando and served in Malta and north Africa.
On his return to civilian life, John joined AJ Russell plumbers of Inverness and was sent to cover the Drumnadrochit area. The couple bought their first house there for £2,000 where they lived for five years before buying their next home in Inverness for £3,200.
John then joined the gas board and rose to become a senior officer working on the conversion of appliances and equipment from coal gas to natural gas in the 1970s.
He retired aged 50 in 1987 and the couple moved south to Calvine to begin their business.
For 16 years, Sheila and John opened their large gardens to The Black Watch army cadets.
John was elected to Tayside Regional Council as an SNP member for Atholl and Breadalbane in the late 1980s, then served on the shadow authority, then Perth and Kinross Council until 2007.
For three of these years, Sheila was first lady accompanying John on civic duties while he was provost.
Together, the couple got to know Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Edward at many events.
Seven years ago, the couple downsized and moved to Auchterarder.
Sheila died at Ninewells hospital, Dundee, on May 4, surrounded by family.
At her funeral which is at St John the Baptist Church, Melville Street, Perth, tomorrow, a piper will play Cabar Feidh, a tune long associated with the Mackenzie clan.