An era in Maybole's social history was brought further to an end with the death of Mrs Mary Crawford McLean on Thursday September 18 aged 96. Born in Glasgow on  January 11, 1907, she was Mary McFadden, though she was always known as Nan. When she left school Nan became secretary for an organisation in Glasgow that catered for blind people producing books in Braille. She also sang in the choir of Blochairn Church where she met William McLean who was then a medical student and played the church organ to augment his funding. After graduating William spent a year at Bellshill and then worked in two assistantships in England.

In 1937, when Dr William McLean bought the medical practice in Maybole from Dr. Ross, Nan came to join him as his bride. The practice was run from their home at 4 Whitehall with all surgeries held there. Nan took care of all the administrative work of the practice, right up until Dr. McLean retired. During the war years their service included taking care of a houseful of evacuees from Glasgow.

For years Nan was a member of the Old Kirk Women's Guild, where she started the Women's Guild choir. She was also a founder member of the Maybole Townswomen's Guild where she started their choir. It was in the days of her Townswomen's Guild choir that Nan drove a wee Morris Minor - and the number of ladies she crammed into that car to attend rehearsals and concerts was a bit of a by-word.  This notwithstanding her council work with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents!

Nan was also elected to Maybole Town Council in 1957, becoming a Justice of the Peace, and latterly the Junior Bailie. In 1987, she became a member of Maybole Baptist Church where her funeral service was conducted last week by Rev Richard Martin. Mrs McLean's latter years were spent in the Ailsa Hospital, Ayr, where she died peacefully on Thursday, September 18, 2003. She is survived by sons Alistair and Fergus, four grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.