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She was born Jane Whiteford at Crosshill on the 28th February, 1910 and she certainly didn’t look her 96 years. When she left school Jean worked at Mulvein’s as a clerkess and she used to cycle into work.
In 1938 Jean met and married Willie McCrindle and they were married in Wellpark in Maybole. As was the way in those days Jean stopped work.
She had lots of interests; she enjoyed tennis, playing on the court where the swimming pool is now; she was a very keen golfer, being Ladies Captain in 1953, and she was proud to tee off in the millennium year at the age of 90.
Jean helped run the Tufty Club, teaching kids road safety; she was a member of the Townswoman’s Guild; she helped with the Red Cross down at Maybole shore, she was a member of the swimming club which met at Maybole shore; and she helped at the Ailsa Hospital.
Jean was very talented, she was a keen dressmaker, she loved to knit and crochet, and she helped make costumes for the gala.
Jean was a wonderful baker and cook, and her tablet was divine; she made tablet for sales of work and she made it for “the old folk” as she called them - most were younger than her! She also made tablet to raise money to save the library.
Jean’s talents were limitless; she was a great Burns person and many a discussion she had with the Rev Johnson about Burns. She wrote poems herself and she often wrote odes for family occasions, and the family homes are adorned with Jean’s tapestries which were just beautiful, and she knitted dolls for charity.
Jean was a great country dancer, in fact she taught the staff in Fairknowe country dancing. She played hockey, she played the mandolin. There was no end to her talents, she even tried painting and decorating, she loved gardening and was so knowledgeable about the garden and plants and regularly took cuttings home. Jean was just a powerhouse.
Jean of course was a woman of faith and the church was a big part of her life. She was a Sunday School teacher, teaching the boys’ class. She loved singing and loved to hear the children sing. Jean sang in the choir for many years and took part in church concerts; and she was very much involved with the Guild. Her faith meant a great deal to her, and she knew her bible very well.
Jean loved people, she was always up the High Street talking to folk, she would talk to everyone. Jean was a great one for stories, you could listen to her for hours, the things she remembered were amazing, she told me about the evacuees that she took in during the war from Glasgow. She told me about the wee Jewish tailor up School Vennel who made coats out of old blankets, her stories were so interesting.
Jean McCrindle was a real lady, everything for Jean had to be just so, politeness was important to her and “please” and “thank you” were regular words on her lips. Jean was fiercely independent, and so determined. I never heard Jean have a bad word to say about anyone, and I never once heard her complain, all she always said was that she was exceptionally well.
She was a lady of great, great dignity, she had such a strong will; you knew if she wasn’t happy about something though, she would let you know, but never nasty. Jean always saw the funny side of things, in fact she was an unconscious comedian, she was so funny, she would laugh telling you a story and couldn’t get the story out for laughing.
Jean was never ill all her life, she had a strong will and fought to the end, she had such a great spirit; if you were down at all she cheered you up - she was amazing. She told me once that the only time she ever fainted in her life was the day she watched Ladyland School burn down.
The family would like to say a special word of thanks to Fairknowe Nursing Home for the care and the love they showed Jean above and beyond the call of duty. Jean as I said loved children, her eyes lit up when children entered the room and it was so lovely that she saw Sharon’s wee one.
She really will be missed.”
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Webmasters note: Jean was also a contributor to the
Maybole website. Some of the images and text she provided can be
seen on the following pages: |
