Patricia Perman, a prominent Largs lady "who liked to be in charge", has died peacefully in her bed.
A well attended funeral service at Largs Crematorium heard that the feisty redhead, who belied her age of 79, was a community activist right to the end, having served for more than 30 years continuously as a community councillor and member of many local organisations.
Patricia, who was born in Glasgow in 1945, had planned to be with her husband James at the Euros football tournament in Germany this year. As fully fledged members of the Tartan Army they travelled all over the world to support Scotland.
After the opening song of 'River Deep, Mountain High', the celebrant, Jennifer Buchan, said that Patricia led a busy life, particularly in Largs where she was a house manager for Barrfields Theatre Group, a leading light of the Film Society, and a keen litter picker who worked with schoolchildren on cleaning the prom and shore. She always spoke up for the underdog.
After living with her Docherty family in Paisley, including sister Maureen, Patricia moved to Harrow in London, after being runner-up in the Miss Paisley beauty contest.
She married Ross Millburn, with whom she had a daughter Lorna, and when the couple separated, Patricia decided to move to "the metropolis of Largs" with Lorna in 1987.
She worked for the National Statistics Office and having settled in Largs she joined the community council in 1989.
Accountant husband James told the service that when his wife-to-be attended her first meeting he thought "oh, no, not another Tory."
He added that the Conservatives on the council told Patricia that if she wanted to progress in the party she shouldn't be seen with "the bad boys".
However, after socialising, they became partners and then married in St John's Church, Largs in June, 1993, on the day of the church fete.
Someone had said that "they wouldn't last", but every year, on their anniversary, they put an advert in the Largs & Millport News for the next 30 years.
When daughter Lorna moved back to London, and had granddaughter Ava, Patricia enjoyed her trips to the big city to be Nana, with Spanish holidays also a special memory. Lorna and Ava read a special poem as a tribute at the service.
A variation of final committal music, was Patricia's choice of 'Dancing In The Dark' by Bruce Springsteen.
The committee of Barrfields Theatre put out a tribute to Patricia which stated: "As a member of Largs Community Council, Patricia Perman was the driving force behind the recent Barbie movie night at our theatre.
"That movie is about empowering women, inspiring women as leaders, strength, doing the hard things and doing them with class, ironically enough that is exactly how we would describe our Pat.
"Pat raised her wonderful family with pride, and was exceptionally active in our local Largs community, whether it was the community council, beach cleans or fighting for a good cause that needed a voice like Pat’s to support them.
"We had the pleasure to know Pat through her work with Barrfields Theatre User Group, the charity which manages the theatre.
"Pat was a member of the Largs Film Club, a member of our charity committee, and most often found as the friendly face meeting and greeting our audiences as a front of house volunteer usher manager.
"We will miss Pat’s commitment to the many causes she supported, her support of the arts, and her dedication to ensuring that our theatre continued to beat at the heart of our community.
"On behalf of all of us at Barrfields Theatre, Pat, we thank you for your unwavering commitment to our success and we, like many throughout Largs whom you have helped over the years, will miss you very much."
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