Service is the rent we pay for our room on earth, was a favourite saying of Largs lady Millie Findlay who has died at the age of 92, writes Drew Cochrane.

Her son-in-law Reverend Tom Nelson recounted this as a slogan of the war-time charity Toc H for which the remarkable Millie worked, particularly during the Second World War. She was a dignified and loyal person, a formidable force to be reckoned with.

As a teenager she co-ordinated a voluntary team of 60 ladies and some retired gentlemen to create a canteen at the former Toc H hall (next to the Brisbane Centre) serving up 2000 daily meals for the hundreds of servicemen stationed in Largs, preparing for the D Day landings. What was astonishing was that she was studying for her Highers at the time.

Rev. Nelson said: "She always recalled the camaraderie with the soldiers, tinged with sadness for the vivid memory of those who didn't come back."

Believed to be the last of three generations who worshipped at St John's Church of Scotland (where there is a family memorial) Catherine Miller Findlay was the only child of Largs lawyer Fred Thomson and wife Cathy. She was born at Burnbank, next to what is now Homemount House in the town where her father was a partner in the legal firm of Harper, Thomson and Lewis. Soon they were to buy and move to Glencova in Gogo Street where she spent most of her long life of service to the church and community.

After the war she joined the family law firm in Bath Street, and she met and married Jim Findlay at St John's Church in April, 1950. As an only child, she revelled in the company of the five Findlay brothers.

Their children Freddie and Catherine came along, and she was a fantastic mother, being expert in cooking, baking, sewing, knitting and organising. Her shortbread was so famous it was adopted by VisitScotland.

However, she remained active in the community with the WRVS, Largs museum, Toc H charity, St John's Women's Guild (since 1953) and as an inspiration to daughter Catherine who became the national president of the Church of Scotland Women's Guild. Her grandfather Thomson had a general store in Largs which carried the slogan "Goods sold at Glasgow prices."

Millie loved being Nana as a grandmother to five and great-grandmother to another five children. Although she was a great lover of classical music she had no hesitation in taking grandchildren to an Abba tribute concert in Barrfields Theatre.

She enjoyed travelling and, after the death of husband Jim, she would go alone, by train, to Italy and France and flew to the United States on a family visit.

Mr Nelson, in an emotional eulogy, added that she was also "a modern Millie" having mastered an Ipad and contacting family through emails and Facebook.

He said: "I'll leave the last word to one of her surviving friends who told me she couldn't have had a nicer friend."

After the service at St John's, conducted by Rev. Ian Currie last Thursday Millie was buried at the Haylie Brae cemetery.