Covid in Scotland: Families remember loved ones lost to coronavirus

More than 12,500 people have died with coronavirus, since the first reported death in Scotland on 13 March 2020.

Here are the stories of some of those who lost their lives.

If you would like to pay tribute to a loved one lost to Covid, please use the form below or email [email protected] and ensure you have read our terms and conditions and privacy policy.

Jean was born in 1937 Maryhill and spoke often and fondly of her childhood in "the Butney". This involved real hardships - including war-time evacuation to Holytown - though Jean's memories were all good and Maryhill became a touchstone when dementia became a factor in recent years.

Working at Rolls-Royce Hillington, Jean was transferred to its Derby HQ where, as a young woman, she made small component parts for jet engines. Even in her 80s, Jean could still perform all the machinist actions (with sound effects).

She loved to paint landscapes and had a life-long passion for music, especially jazz (with Frankie and Ella being constants). She was a great singer and dancer, always up for fun and laughs, brightening up any party.

Her family said Jean was a fabulous mum to two daughters, a brilliant friend, and a warm-hearted women with kindness for everyone and anyone. She died on 27 October 2020.

Rashelle Baird's family describe her as "kind, bubbly, and always the life and soul of the party".

The 27-year-old mother-of-three from Brechin had put off appointments to get the vaccine because she was busy with her children.

Her family stressed she was not anti-vaccine. "She wanted to get her vaccine but she put her kids first," her father Stephen said.

Rashelle, who had asthma, initially thought she had caught a cold from her children, but her symptoms worsened and she was admitted to hospital.

She died in November 2021 after several days in Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, having been placed in an induced coma in the intensive care unit.

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David Trower worked as a clerical officer in the A&E department of University Hospital Monklands in Airdrie before retiring in 2016.

But he was committed to the NHS and even in retirement he chose to continue to work shifts, through NHS Lanarkshire's staff bank, right up until February. He died on 9 March 2021, aged 67.

His colleagues thought highly of him, saying: "We have many happy memories of shifts together, laughs, nights out, and listening to all his stories of his many holidays abroad. We will miss him."

Bernadette White, his sister, said he was a caring, gentle and loving man with a wicked sense of humour.

She added: "The last seven years, I would say, is when David started to live his life, doing the things that made him happy without having to worry about anyone else."

Stephen Stewart met his future wife, Heather, at a youth club when he was just 14. They got engaged on his 17th birthday and he had just turned 20 when they married.

The couple, who lived in Motherwell, came from "very different" backgrounds but they grew up together during their 25-year marriage while raising their only child.

Stephen took pride in his work for concrete manufacturer FP McCann, latterly as a lab technician working out what strength the concrete needed to be for certain projects.

Outside work, he loved fishing, computer games, gadgets and during the first lockdown he managed to build a hot tub shelter with the help of a series of YouTube videos.

He died of Covid pneumonia at University Hospital Wishaw on 19 February 2021, aged 45.

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Nan Douglas worked her way up from shorthand typist to headteacher during a remarkable career.

She was already a mother of three when she left her job as a school secretary at West Calder High School to enrol at Moray House in Edinburgh where she qualified as a primary school teacher.

After losing her husband John when she was just 43, she found solace in working with disabled children and went on to be appointed head of Pinewood Special School in Blackburn, West Lothian.

Following a spell living in Cornwall during her retirement, she returned to Scotland where she hosted a "living wake" with 80 friends and family on her 90th birthday.

She lived independently in Milnathort, Kinross, and was admitted to hospital for a minor issue just before Christmas 2020. But she picked up Covid and never left. She died on 19 February 2021, aged 95.

Graeme McGrath's greatest passions were rowing and the River Clyde.

On the day of his funeral, fellow rowers held oars in a guard of honour at Glasgow Green in a tribute appreciated by his wife Anne and their three sons.

For 40 years Graeme volunteered with the Glasgow Humane Society and was often called on to row rescue boats on the Clyde, or to help evacuate families during floods.

After undergoing a kidney transplant in his 50s, he was unable to get out on the river as much. He retired from his job as a Thomas Cook travel agent and moved to Prestwick in Ayrshire.

But he still felt the pull of the Clyde and regularly returned to the city to meet friends and row safety boats at regattas.

He died with Covid on 15 February 2021 at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock, aged 66, after being admitted for an infection affecting his heart.

Tommy Morrow spent most of his life in the Maryhill area of Glasgow, where he met his partner Jackie and raised their children, Demi and Mark.

His family described him as a character and not a day went by without them laughing at his jokes.

He loved camping and fishing in places like Stornoway with his friends but the most important people in his life were his family, including grandchildren, Lacey and Louden.

During his career he worked in various well-known hotels and restaurants in Glasgow but he had not worked for some years due to poor health, including COPD.

He died with Covid on 15 February 2021, aged 53. "It was so cruel - he was so close to getting the vaccine," his family said.

Tommy Rooney was a bus driver for 36 years and hugely popular with colleagues at First Bus in Larbert.

On the day of his funeral they were among dozens of people who lined the streets and applauded as his cortege passed the depot.

First Bus operations manager Jason Hackett told the Falkirk Herald that Tommy was the "heart and soul" of the Larbert station.

Married to Margaret, the Bonnybridge man had two daughters and a granddaughter who described him as a "humble but proud family man who put everyone else's needs before his own".

An avid Celtic fan, he spent much of the pandemic driving key workers to their essential duties. He died on 12 February 2021, aged 57.

David Gray's first grandchild - a girl called Islay - was born in July 2020. The proud "papa" used to say that she was the love of his life and she gave him a reason to wake up in the morning.

Tragically, the 62-year-old only got to spend five months with her before falling ill with Covid. He died on 3 February 2021.

David lived in Erskine and worked for BAE Systems for 20 years, first as a mechanical fitter then as records manager dealing with secret files for the Ministry of Defence.

His family describe him as "music daft" - he played guitar and he was performing a gig with his band in Glasgow when he met his wife, Joyce, 40 years ago.

They went on to have two children - Darren and Danielle - as well as his beloved Cocker Spaniels, Buster and Shimmer, who he described as his "bairns".

Harry Osborne was a Dunkirk veteran whose life was full of adventures - his daughter said he was still able to recall stories until just a few days before he died.

Mr Osborne was deployed to France months after joining the Territorial Army in Glasgow, served with the 77th Highland Field Regiment of the Royal Artillery and later became a surveyor.

Friends recall how upon joining, he promised his mother he would not swear and instead would say "cricky jings", which became his nickname in the forces.

He was also known as a keen golfer with a "wicked sense of humour".

Mr Osborne died from Covid-19 on 25 January, nine months after celebrating his 100th birthday.

Connie Simpson's grandchildren say she was more like a pal than a granny - she was full of fun and laughter, and was always the first up to dance at a party.

Born in Kinning Park, Glasgow, she moved to the east end after marrying John who she met at the Barrowlands when they were teenagers.

While John was away with the Merchant Navy, she brought up their four children in a house "surrounded by love", before taking work as a curtain consultant.

She was fabulous even in her 80s - she loved getting her hair, eyebrows and manicure done, meeting friends at Mecca Bingo in Parkhead and at a local pensioners' club.

Connie died on 23 January 2021 at Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow, aged 82.

Sheila Gartly was as "bright as a button" and the "heart of our family", her loved ones said.

She was born and brought up in Deskford, Moray, before marrying and moving to Keith in 1954. Widowed in 1975, she remarried but lost her second husband in 2005.

During her working life she had jobs in a florist and in a fish shop - both of which she thoroughly enjoyed.

She loved to watch the birds in her garden, read her daily newspaper, listen to traditional Scottish music, and the spring and summer when the nights were lighter and flowers bloomed.

In 2019 she had surgery on a broken leg but she was recovering well. She died with Covid on 19 January 2021, aged 86.

Alex Goldie was an electrical engineer who latterly worked as a lecturer at Stow College in Glasgow before his retirement.

His family said he was a gregarious man, always interested in other people, who took great delight and pride in the antics and education of his two great-grandsons, Charlie and Joe.

During his long life he enjoyed skiing, tennis, pottery, sailing, golf, holidays in Europe, Australia and North America, single malts and red wine.

He had been well cared for by Randolph Hill nursing home in Dunblane for 19 months after developing dementia. Covid restrictions meant he had not seen his family, other than by Skype, for a year.

He is thought to have contracted the virus on a trip to A&E after a fall. He died on 14 January, aged 100.

Vincent Logan became one of the youngest bishops in the world when he was ordained Bishop of Dunkeld in 1981, aged 39.

He served the Roman Catholic diocese for almost 32 years before his retirement in 2012.

The Scottish Catholic Church said he was "dedicated and energetic" and had "an energy and zeal in all he did".

Born in Bathgate in 1941, he was ordained a priest in Edinburgh in 1964. He died on 14 January, aged 79, the day after his friend the Archbishop of Glasgow, Philip Tartaglia.

"Both bishops succumbed to the lethal effects of the coronavirus," the current Bishop of Dunkeld, Stephen Robson, added.

The Archbishop of Glasgow, the Most Reverend Philip Tartaglia, died suddenly at his home in the city on 13 January - the Feast of St Mungo, the Patron Saint of Glasgow.

He had been self-isolating after testing positive for Covid shortly after Christmas.

Born in Glasgow in 1951, he was ordained a priest in 1975 and had served as leader of Scotland's largest Catholic community since 2012.

Scotland's Catholic bishops described Archbishop Tartaglia as a "gentle, caring and warm-hearted pastor who combined compassion with a piercing intellect".

Among those who paid tribute were First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken, who described the archbishop as "a true Glaswegian".

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Liz Shingleston was a well-known figure in the village of Dunragit and her death on 13 January had a big impact on the small community near Stranraer.

"Her hearse passed the bottom of the village and the amount of people who turned out to pay their respects was overwhelming," said her daughter, Lisa.

Liz spent her early childhood in New Luce but moved to the railway station cottage in Dunragit where her father worked as a signalman.

During a varied working life, Liz left school to work in the laboratory of the nearby Nestle factory and later replaced her own mother as the local school's dinner lady.

The 73-year-old was devoted to her grandchildren and great-grandson but she also liked to treat herself to afternoon tea (with Prosecco) at Trump Turnberry.

Hugh Polland, who was known as Shug to his friends and family, was born and raised in Glasgow's Easterhouse.

He was well known in the area where he ran the Casbah Pub for many years during the 1980s and early 90s.

A huge Celtic fan, he loved to play golf and took up photography later in life - becoming "unofficial photographer" at many friends' weddings, christening and parties.

"Everyone wanted him at their party not just to take photos but because of his personality," said his son, Tony McAllister. "Everyone loved him because what you seen is what you got."

Shug died at Glasgow Royal Infirmary on 5 January, aged 70. His sudden death has left his family heartbroken.

For more than 75 years George Wight lived on his dairy farm in the village of Drumoak in Aberdeenshire.

But he had more than one string to his bow - as well as being a dairy farmer, for 25 years he was also the publican of his local, the Irvine Arms.

A loyal Aberdeen FC fan, he was one of the lucky ones - he was in Gothenburg in 1983 to see the his beloved Dons lift the European Cup Winners Cup.

He was devoted to his family, including wife Claire and their four children, and despite suffering a series of bereavements and health setbacks, he always bounced back.

"He was an inspiration and a hardy soul who kept going no matter what life threw at him," they said. George died at a nursing home on 4 January 2021, aged 85.

Hugh Bell loved to dance. As a young man, when he doing his national service with the RAF, he was a regular at the dancing at the YMCA in Paisley.

It was there he met the love of his life, Margaret. They were married for 63 years and had two children Alan and Stuart. Margaret passed away in 2013.

A keen ballroom dancer, Hugh was often first on the dance floor and in his later years he enjoyed dancing to the entertainment at Southerness caravan park, near Dumfries, where Stuart and his friend had a holiday home.

He was a bright, bubbly sociable man who spent a career in logistics before working as a lollipop man in his retirement.

Hugh died on 31 December at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, aged 92.

David Warnock was a keen sportsman who loved squash, tennis, rugby, football, cycling and climbing munros.

In fact, it was on the tennis courts in Aberdeen that he met his teenage sweetheart, Zena. He was 17 and she was 14 - they were married for 62 years.

An electrical engineer, he worked for Pye Communications, moving first to Cambridge and then Edinburgh.

He was a quiet man who never complained about anything and was happiest around his family - including four children, 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

His second great-grandchild was born shortly after he died in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary on 31 December. He was 85.

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Henry Anderson, an SNP councillor on Perth and Kinross Council, died with Covid on 27 December.

He had represented the Almond and Earn ward since 2012 and colleagues said he would be "hugely missed".

Among those who paid tribute to the 68-year-old was Deputy First Minister John Swinney, who described him as "a good, decent man and a faithful councillor".

Murray Lyle, the leader of Perth and Kinross Council, said Mr Anderson was an excellent advocate for his ward and "passionate about local issues".

"I had the pleasure of working with Henry for several years on the Local Review Body and always his enjoyed his company, good humour and sense of fun when we were out visiting planning sites."

Teenage sweethearts Bryson Mitchell and his wife Irene were due to celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary in January,

They met when he was an 18-year-old apprentice electrician and was assigned to a contract with the company where Irene, who was 16, was working.

After marrying in 1961, Bryson spent his adult life in Paisley and 35 years working as an aircraft electrician with British Airways.

The couple had two children and four grandchildren, who described him as a quiet man with a great sense of humour. "He was kind and generous, very hardworking, and he lived for his family," they said.

He was in hospital being treated for an acute illness when he contracted Covid. He died on Christmas Eve, aged 82.

As a child, Sandy Adam survived pioneering surgery to remove his voice box - an operation that left him unable to speak normally.

Instead he learned a different way to communicate - oesophageal speech (swallowing air) - by drinking lots of lemonade. He had a life-long hatred of the fizzy drink after that.

After training to be a dentist in Dundee, he returned to his hometown of Aberdeen. In addition to surgeries around the city, at one time he worked at Craiginches Prison one afternoon a week.

A father and a grandfather, he loved tinkering with cars, pranking his two children and sitting in the sun with a glass of red wine.

The 81-year-old, who had dementia, died on 16 December, shortly after testing positive for Covid.

David Barr was born and grew up in Paisley and for more than 40 years he worked in the town's Anchor Mill.

As well as being a keen bowler, a church elder, and an active member of Martyrs Church Men's Club, he had a gift for carpentry.

The dolls houses and garages that he made for his children and grandchildren were much loved and they are still treasured.

His favourite place in the world was the East Neuk of Fife, where he spent many happy holidays.

David had an underlying respiratory condition and he was admitted to hospital with shortness of breath in December. He died within days of being diagnosed with Covid on 16 December, aged 86.

Ana Lisa Sayson was a nurse who moved from the Philippines to work for the NHS in Scotland.

She was a staff nurse at Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow before she moved to Glasgow Royal Infirmary during the Covid crisis. The mother-of-two died on 15 December after testing positive for the virus.

"Ana Lisa was a much-loved member of the team and an incredibly compassionate nurse who was devoted to the care of her patients," said John Stuart, the chief nurse at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

"Ana Lisa came to our country from the Philippines to care for our loved ones and my heart goes out to her family and especially her husband and children.

"My thoughts, and the thoughts of all of her NHS family here in Glasgow, are with them at this terribly sad time."

Billy and May Fannin were married for 62 years after meeting at a ballroom in Glasgow in 1955.

May was a bookkeeper who gave up her job to look after her grandchildren in the 1980s. "Her life revolved around her four grandchildren," their younger daughter Jennifer told BBC Scotland.

Billy was a joiner by trade but his real passion was singing, performing under the name Scott Allan. And as a member of Equity, he also took on work as an extra on TV programmes like Take the High Road and Taggart.

He loved being the centre of attention and "if he was chocolate he would have eaten himself", Jennifer joked.

When the couple from Barrhead caught Covid, their two daughters also fell ill with the virus and had to self-isolate. They were heartbroken they could not be with their 84-year-old mother when she died in hospital on 6 December.

But they chose not tell their 88-year-old father about her death, as he was also in hospital and had dementia. Jennifer was able to visit him to say goodbye before he slipped away just eight days after the passing of his wife.

Mridula Nasreen Sarwar was a well-known face among Glasgow's Bangladeshi community.

She was president of the city's Bangladesh Association, a civil servant at Glasgow City Council and, according to her family, "a pillar of the community".

They said she was a "devoted mother, daughter, aunt and friend [but] she would prefer to be remembered as a social activist, volunteer and community advocate".

Both Mridula and her husband, Sarwar Hassan, were admitted to hospital with Covid in November. He was discharged but Mridula was moved to Aberdeen for specialist treatment.

Her husband and two sons were able to spend time with her before she died at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary on 12 December, aged 50.

Bridget Turner and her husband Alan worked for years in the window blinds industry before setting up their own business, A&B Window Blinds, in 1992.

They lived next door to the shop in Paisley, where Bridget worked in the office and Alan went out to do the measuring. Their years of hard work paid off and the family business remains successful.

The mother-of-three "loved a good gab and a good catch-up with friends", according to her daughter, Lisa. "She was amazing, such a good friend to lots of people."

When the children were young, family holidays were spent at the Isle of Whithorn but later the couple, who moved to Greenock, spent winters in Gran Canaria where they made friends from around the world.

Bridget was treated for Covid at Inverclyde Royal Hospital, where she received "amazing care". She died, aged 71, on 7 December after saying goodbye to her family.

Andrew Slorance was a civil servant in charge of the Scottish government's planning and response to crisis situations - including the coronavirus pandemic.

He grew up in Hawick and became a journalist before joining the Scotland Office. He led the new Scottish Parliament's media team when it opened in 1999, then became the official spokesman for First Minister Alex Salmond.

A father-of-five, he was diagnosed with Mantle Cell Lymphoma in 2015. He documented his experience of the rare cancer - including six rounds of chemotherapy - in a blog he called "The fight of my life".

He relapsed in 2019 and a stem cell transplant scheduled for Easter 2020 was delayed by Covid. While shielding at home in Edinburgh, he spent the first part of the pandemic working on the government's response from a spare room.

Mr Slorance was finally admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow for his stem cell transplant in October. He tested positive for Covid shortly after that and died on 5 December, aged 49.

Tributes from across the political spectrum, including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, have been paid to Mr Slorance. His wife, Louise, told BBC Scotland: "He was a proud family man who was the life and soul of any party, loving and loyal."

Allan Harper was a salesman at Topps Tiles for 23 years, mainly in the Hillington branch.

He met Caroline through a dating website 21 years ago. They were due to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary in July.

A father-of-one, he lived in Craigton, in the south-west of Glasgow, where he enjoyed computer games and playing pool with work colleagues.

Caroline said they would spend their days off and holidays together with their three cats "who sometimes got more attention than me".

He was a kind man, a "true gentleman" and her "forever love", she added. He died on 1 December 2020, aged 60.

Eileen Terry was born and brought up in Renfrew before marrying Bob and moving to Milngavie in 1968.

He was a keen golfer and when their sons, Robert and David, reached secondary school she decided the time was right to join him on the golf course.

It led to a lifetime's love of the sport and she became the ladies captain of Clober Golf Club in 2001 - the club's centenary year.

Her family say she was a kind and generous lady who was well-known in her local community, where she worked as a home help until her retirement.

She spent her final years in Mavisbank Nursing Home in Bishopbriggs after developing vascular dementia. She died in hospital on 25 November 2020, aged 84.

Davie Burgess was one of 10 siblings born in the Townhead area of Glasgow, but he had a lifelong love of the fresh air and the scenery of the Scottish countryside.

As a young man, he worked as a fireman on the steam train to Crianlarich - a trip which included a two-hour stopover allowing him to explore the hills.

Later in life he loved driving up to Acharacle to visit his son and his family, where he could go for long walks with his grandchildren and their dog, Mac.

Married for 60 years to May, the father-of-three worked for the Milk Marketing Board at Hogganfield Loch. He was a hard worker who even after he "retired" took on three jobs, including running a caravan park.

His family described him as a "gentleman" and a "man of pride". He died on 25 November, aged 86.

Rod Moore spent 40 years with the ambulance service, working as a technician, a paramedic, a trainer and then in managerial roles before returning to the front line and the job he loved.

The football fan from Falkirk was married to Clare for 31 years and they had a son, Craig.

"He was my best friend, he was always happy, joking around all the time, he was so funny... he made me laugh every day," Clare told BBC Scotland.

And he was so close to their son "you wouldn't have got a sheet of paper between them", she added.

Although they were not able to see Rod for four weeks while he was treated in hospital for Covid, they we allowed one final visit to say goodbye before he died on 21 November, aged 63.

Tom Kenmure was a manager at the Tesco distribution centre in Livingston, where he had worked for 28 years.

The 51-year-old was a friendly, sociable man and in normal times he liked nothing better than driving around the country exploring "any little shop he could find".

After the restrictions came into force, the father-of-two from Carluke did everything he could to keep himself and his family safe from Covid.

But on the 6 October he felt a tightness in his chest on his way to work and had to get tested. It came back positive the next day.

He spent two weeks in Wishaw General before being transferred to an ECMO machine at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. He died on 17 November.

Andrew, or "Andra", Kettrick was a porter at Stirling Royal Infirmary for 28 years.

He would take patients out on "mystery tours" in a "big blue hospital ambulance bus" his son, also Andrew, told BBC Scotland.

"The old people loved my dad as he would often stop and buy them all fish and chips or ice cream - all this was paid for out of his pocket," he said.

Mr Kettrick's work was recognised by hospital bosses and they put him forward for a British Empire Medal which he received in 1991.

The father-of-three, from Cowie, Stirling, died at Caledonia Court care home in Larbert on 17 November. He was 86.

Jim - Flocky - Flockhart was the public face of the firefighters' strike in Glasgow in 1973.

A leading figure in the Fire Brigade Union, he regularly appeared on TV and in newspapers during the controversial 10-day strike over pay.

Firefighting was a dangerous - sometimes fatal - job in the "tinderbox city" and Jim was hailed a hero by colleagues after the dispute ended with a famous victory for the strikers.

He retired to Darvel in Ayrshire where he enjoyed a pint in the Black Bull and spent many years driving friends and local elderly men on trips around Scotland and to Ireland.

A father and grandfather, he died with Covid on 13 November with his daughters Yvonne and Julie by his side. He was 77.

Tom Maley never wanted for anything, but after enduring months of Covid restrictions this year the 73-year-old retired joiner set his heart on a big Christmas tree.

It had been a tough year for the normally sociable pensioner who was renowned for his jokes (good and bad) and was devoted to his wife of 53 years, Georgina, and their family.

They usually decorate a small table-top tree for the festive season, but this year Mr Maley ordered a 5ft showstopper illuminated with multi-coloured stars to fill the window of their Grangemouth home.

The great-grandfather will never get to see the tree in its full glory. He died at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert on 12 November, shortly after falling ill with Covid-19.

His granddaughter Claire Taylor told BBC Scotland, said: "My gran has made sure that the tree he ordered will go up and it will shine bright for Granda."

Tracey Donnelly was born and brought up in Edinburgh but she moved to the north-east of England after meeting her husband, George.

"I loved her the first time I saw her, and I always will," he said. "She was so loving and kind - just an extra-special person in every way."

Tracey had four children, three step-children and eight grandchildren, and she worked as a support worker for the North East Autism Society.

Care manager Michael Ross, said: "She loved her family, and she loved the service-users in her care. This tragic news has ripped the heart out of the team and her colleagues are absolutely devastated."

She died at Sunderland General Hospital in mid-November after testing positive for coronavirus. She was 53.

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Jim Grant was originally from Bo'ness but he spent most of his life in Grangemouth where he brought up two daughters, Margaret and Senga, with his wife Mary.

He worked as a labourer at BP before taking early retirement when he was 60.

The 88-year-old great-grandfather spent his last months at the Caledonian Court care home in Larbert before his death on 8 November. He was one of 20 residents who died in the space of a month after testing positive for Covid-19.

His granddaughter, Nicole Ritchie, said he was a gentleman who always had a huge smile on his face, and his death had had a huge impact on the family.

She told BBC Scotland "As a family, we would like to thank Caledonian Court from the bottom of our hearts. They looked after my grandad for the last 11 months of his life and they couldn't have done a better job, he was so happy and very well looked after."

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For more than 20 years until her retirement in February 2020, Liz Khan was a support worker for adults with learning and physical disabilities.

She also ran a drama group for them - it was always more than a job to her, her family said.

Liz was also an elder at her local church, St Margaret's Parish Church in the Muirhouse area of Motherwell, North Lanarkshire.

"She devoted her life to her work, church and family," her children Stephen, Sonia and Lorraine told BBC Scotland.

Liz died in hospital with Covid on 26 October 2020, aged 67 - eight months into her retirement.

When Marie Ward broke her wrist in 2019, she asked her consultant whether she would be able to play the piano once it had healed.

He assured her she would, but when she replied "that's great because I couldn't before", the previously serious and solemn medic cracked up.

She was always laughing and joking, according to her granddaughter, Abby McNicol, and she enjoyed nothing more than knitting, shopping and a "good blether".

Married to Robert for 53 years, they started life together in a single-end tenement in Househillwood in Glasgow. Moving to a three-bedroom council house in Johnstone was "like winning the lottery".

The mother-of-three and grandmother-of-11 died on 18 October 2020, aged 83.

Frances Brown spent lockdown shielding in her room in the Glasgow care home where she had lived for almost 10 years.

After months of keeping in touch via video calls, the 76-year-old was finally able to meet up with her sister, Anne Turnbull, in August.

Ms Turnbull said her sister, who had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bi-polar disorder, had a special bond with staff at the David Cargill care home.

And she praised the home which remained Covid-free until a staff member tested positive on 4 October. Frances contracted the virus and died in hospital on 13 October.

In a statement, the care home described Frances as "the most incredible woman, a real character, and an absolute pleasure to know and care for".

'An absolute pleasure to have known and cared for'

After a long battle against illness throughout the year, great grandfather Charlie Armstrong died on 10 October.

The 82-year-old retired property manager from Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire, had been allowed home after receiving treatment at Glasgow Royal Infirmary for chest problems.

Eight days later he was readmitted to the hospital and tested positive for coronavirus. The family say they were told he must have contracted Covid during his earlier stay at the Infirmary.

His wife, Joyce, who was also treated in hospital for the virus, said: "He was very generous, very loving and very funny and he hated seeing anybody being put down. He didn't like to see injustice. He would stand up for people.

"We were together for 40 years and he was a very good father and a very good husband to me."

Margaret Kerrigan was a "force to be reckoned with", according to her family - a matriarch who commanded respect.

She was born in Plymouth but her family moved to Glasgow when she was young. Growing up in Govan in the 1950s, she learned to be a "tough cookie".

It meant she must have been perfectly suited to her job as bar manager at Curlers in Byres Road in the 1960s. And it was there she met Joe, a customer at the pub, who she married in 1970.

He worked as a school janitor during many of their 50 years of marriage, and they had four sons, 12 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

Clydebank Bowling Club provided Joe with a good social life, while Margaret loved having her family around her and going to the bingo.

Joe had dementia and he died at Hill View care home in Dalmuir on 19 April 2020, aged 78. Margaret fell ill during the second wave and died in hospital on 8 October, aged 73.

Former ambulance technician George Cairns was a resident at LittleInch Care Home in Inchinnan, Renfrewshire.

His family said the move from his Renfrew flat to the home in January had reinvigorated him and brought out his mischievous sense of humour.

During the lockdown period Mr Cairns, who was bipolar, even joked about topping up his tan in the garden.

The 71-year-old tested positive for Covid-19 on 8 May despite displaying no symptoms, but his condition deteriorated and he died in the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley nine days later.

His daughter, Gillian, paid tribute to his caring nature, saying: "Even if you only met him once he would tell you a story, a terrible joke or offer a supportive ear when you needed it the most."

Retired farmer Jock Brown was a keen ice hockey player in his youth, and he represented Scotland for six years in the 1950s.

He told his family that he was selected for the team because he was the only Scotsman who played as goal tender (goalkeeper) at the time. They insist this is not true.

Married to Mary for 48 years, they had two children and four grandchildren.

He farmed near Falkirk - on land next to what is now home to The Kelpies - until his retirement in the 1980s.

Mr Brown's family said he was a quiet man with a great sense of humour. He had dementia and he died with Covid-19 at Burnbrae care home in Falkirk on 14 May. He was 89.

Ina Beaton was a well-known figure on the Isle of Skye and she lived in her own home in Balmaqueen until two years ago.

She died on 11 May aged 103, the seventh resident of Home Farm care home in Portree to die after contracting Covid-19.

Ina lived through the Great War and the 1919 Spanish Flu outbreak. During World War Two she moved to Glasgow to work as a conductress on the trams and survived the Clydebank blitz.

Her grandson, Ailean Beaton, said his loss was shared across the island, especially the north end "where she was mum, granny, friend to more than just the Beatons.

"Her crystal memory and broad experience of life in Skye over several generations meant that she contributed to our shared knowledge of the place we're from, its language and culture," he added.

Betty Steele grew up in Paisley but later moved to Corby, Northamptonshire - the town known as "little Scotland".

She had seven children, 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, and she lived for her family, according to her granddaughter, Debbie Smiley.

Her house was always the meeting point, and she was the life and soul of the party.

"She had such a zest for life, and anything she did it was done with care and love for others," Debbie added.

Betty died on 10 May, aged 87.

John Angus Gordon, 83, spent the last few years of his life at the Home Farm care home in Portree on Skye.

He had dementia and the sense of touch reassured him - he liked to shake a hand or hold the hand of the person he was talking to.

Unable to visit the home, his family spoke to him for the last time in a video-call a few hours before he died on 5 May.

As he listened to their voices, he reached out to the hand of the carer sitting with him, dressed in full personal protective equipment.

"We found it quite poignant that my dad put out his hand to hers and she was wearing these blue protective gloves," said his son, John.

Son's grief at not being at father's bedside

Paul McCaffrey was an "amazing dad" of two children and two step-children who was always busy, according to his partner Caroline McNultry.

"He was always helping someone, whether he was in someone's house helping them out or just on-the-go in work all the time," she said.

The healthy 49-year-old from Glasgow fell ill after returning home from work at a care home where he was a highly-regarded maintenance manager.

Rather than the traditional coronavirus symptoms, he complained of a headache and aching limbs but he was eventually admitted to hospital in Glasgow where he tested positive for Covid-19.

He was transferred to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where he could be hooked up to an ECMO machine, which performs the tasks of the lungs. After three weeks, he died on 4 May.

HGV driver Jim Russell kept his lorries so spotlessly clean he was known as "Big Gorgeous" by colleagues who joked that he must have worn his slippers in his cab.

He was a big character who loved cars, trucks, motorbikes, lorries and going to Truckfest with his fiancée Connie McCready, who he affectionately nicknamed "Isa" after the Still Game character.

This photograph was taken at the last concert the couple attended together on 8 March 2020.

They met online in 2014 and were due to get married last summer but Mr Russell fell ill with Covid three weeks after the concert. He died on 4 May, aged 51.

"Everyone is talking about life getting back to normal when coming out of lockdown, however for myself and many many others we are terrified as our lives will never be normal again," Connie said.

Clive Andrews was born in Trinidad and in 1967 he moved to Edinburgh where he "immediately felt like he belonged", according to his daughter, Nadine.

The father-of-six worked as a senior lecturer in ergonomics at Napier College, but he was also committed to the arts.

Devoted to promoting and supporting artists and musicians, he held committee roles with groups including Theatre Alba and the Scottish Arts Council.

He helped establish the Edinburgh International Harp Festival and volunteered every year for decades with the Edinburgh International Jazz Festival.

Clive was a lover of life (and of salsa dancing), his family said. He died at The Elms Care Home in Edinburgh on 3 May 2020, aged 86.

Robert Black was a paramedic but he was also a talented musician and part of the team behind Argyll FM.

Paying tribute to him on social media, the community radio station said he was "a genuine good guy... everyone was his pal".

The Mull of Kintyre Music Festival described him as "one of our pals" and a "true gent, wonderful musician".

He was a well-known and loved character in Campbeltown, according to Kintyre Community Resilience Group.

The father-of-two died in hospital in Glasgow on 2 May.

Paramedic dies after contracting Covid-19

Karen Hutton was a "much-loved" care home nurse who died with coronavirus days after her granddaughter was born.

The 58-year-old was a staff nurse in the dementia unit at Lochleven Care Home in Broughty Ferry, Dundee.

Her only daughter, Lauren, gave birth to a girl just two weeks ago, according to care home operators Thistle Healthcare.

Care home manager Andrew Chalmers-Gall said: "Karen was a tenacious advocate for her residents and she always put their needs first."

She died at home in Carnoustie, Angus, on 28 April after testing positive for Covid-19.

Mark McCarron Gillan bought his wife, Jan, flowers every Friday - a small gesture but something that she still misses following his death on 27 April.

They were married for 23 years, after first meeting as teenagers, and they have three daughters - twins Ebony and Hope, who are 20, and Brenna, 19.

When his colleagues at a soap factory in Queenslie, Glasgow, learned of his death, they stopped production for the first time since opening.

They were among dozens of people - including friends and neighbours - who lined the streets on the day of his funeral to say a final farewell to the 53-year-old.

Mark loved golf, football and hill walking but he was also a family man. "There is a such a void left in each of us and every life that he touched," his wife said.

Alastair Sinclair split his younger years between Reay in Caithness and Lanark before being called up for national service.

But his army career was cut short when he stood on a mine in Korea and lost a foot.

His son told BBC Scotland that he was persuaded to pursue a career in developing artificial limbs as he was being fitted for his own prosthetic.

In retirement, the father-of-three moved with his wife from Newtown Mearns in East Renfrewshire to Wishaw in North Lanarkshire.

He moved into Erskine Park care home in Bishopton shortly before lockdown and died, aged 87, five weeks later on 27 April.

Pearl Paterson grew up in Dennistoun in the east end of Glasgow and was just 10 years old when World War II broke out.

She was a teenager when she joined the Women's Land Army but it wasn't until she was in her 80s that she received official recognition - and a badge - for her efforts from the UK government.

Pearl spent much of her working life employed as a domestic assistant in hotels across Scotland, before settling in Largs, Ayrshire, with her daughter, Fiona.

An animal lover, she had a special Chihuahua called Flash, and she read the People's Friend magazine every week.

On her 91st birthday in March, her family was able wave to her in the conservatory at her care home in Glasgow. She died with Covid-19 on 26 April.

Annie Munro's home was always filled with people - her husband, six children and many nieces and nephews who would often come to visit.

Her family used to joke that the house in Eaglesham must have "rubber walls" and they often had to share beds and would "wake up with somebody's feet up their nose".

She was a real homemaker who could as easily run up a set of curtains as make a batch of jam from fruit she had grown in her own garden. She never turned anyone away who needed help.

A mild-mannered woman, she never had any need to raise her voice - a look over the top of her spectacles was enough to keep her children under control.

In later life she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and her daughter, Linda, became her main carer before she moved into a care home. Annie died on 25 April, aged 84.

Known to all as Gogs, Gordon Reid was a taxi driver from Edinburgh who loved football, played golf, enjoyed a pint and doted on his grandchildren.

He stopped working as a precaution four days before the lockdown came into force but within a week had fallen ill with Covid-19.

His wife, Elaine, and daughter Leemo Goudie, were able to spend some time with him in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary before he died on 24 April, aged 68.

Leemo said: "My dad was a normal guy, no health issues, a non-smoker, fairly fit. It can happen to anyone."

As only a small number of mourners could attend his funeral, people stood and applauded as his hearse passed some of his favourite places in the city.

The coronavirus funerals 'ringing with applause'

David Allan joined a local running club in Edinburgh in retirement, after spending 36 years as a science technician at the city's Trinity Academy.

The fit and healthy 64-year-old was training for a half marathon and was planning to take part in some Park Runs in Sydney during a trip to visit his nephew in Australia this year.

When the holiday - including a trip to Fiji - was cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions, David was pragmatic and told his wife, Glenda, they could rearrange for a later date.

It was a shock when he tested positive for Covid-19 after being admitted to hospital with a chest infection. He died on 24 April after more than four weeks in ICU.

Glenda took comfort from the funeral, when neighbours lined the streets, running club friends and former colleagues stood outside the crematorium, and hundreds watched the service online.

Angie Cunningham worked for NHS Borders for more than 30 years before her death.

The 60-year-old from Tweedbank was a much-respected and valued colleague who provided "amazing care" to her patients, the health board said.

As well as being a much-loved mother, sister, granny and great-granny, she was proud to be a nurse, her family added.

She died in the intensive care unit at Borders General Hospital from Covid-19 on 22 April, NHS Borders confirmed.

Nurse dies in hospital after contracting coronavirus

Kirsty Jones, a healthcare support worker with NHS Lanarkshire, was a bubbly, larger than life character, according to her colleagues.

She joined the health board after leaving school at 17 and spent much of her career working with older patients.

But the 41-year-old recently took up a role on the frontline of the pandemic, working at an assessment centre in Airdrie.

Her husband, Nigel, said she devoted her life to caring for others and was a wonderful wife and mother to their two sons.

She died on 20 April.

'Bubbly' healthcare worker dies from coronavirus

Andy McGinley used to say he didn't need to win the lottery - his family meant he was already a millionaire.

He was brought up by adoptive parents in Glasgow's Maryhill area during World War Two and went on to become a carpenter at John Brown's Shipyard.

Although he first met his wife, Margaret, at primary school they lost touch and got together after meeting at the Barrowland Ballroom years later.

They spent almost all of their 62 years of married life in the same house in Barmulloch, where they had five children. They also had 15 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

He loved his garden, bowls, and a sing-song at family gatherings - his party piece was "I'm glad that I was born in Glasgow". He died on 29 April 2020, aged 84.

Evelyn Brown dedicated her life to her family and her community. Born and bred in Peterhead, she was married to Charles for 50 years and they had two children.

She gave up her job as a bank manager to care for her son Craig after he was born with Down's syndrome in the 1970s.

Her daughter Emma, who was born two years later, said her mother was a selfless woman who loved spoiling her grandchildren with "gifts and love".

Mrs Brown was an adult Guide leader and later a district commissioner, she volunteered with Barnardo's and was an active member of the Church of Scotland.

After her death at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary on 19 April, aged 75, her family raised £3,000 in her name for the hospital's staff garden.

Waqar Hussain Choudhry was a popular shopkeeper in the north of Glasgow.

The 65-year-old ran a convenience store on Skerray Street in Milton where he was affectionately known as Wacca.

Following his death on 17 April 2020, well-wishers left flowers outside the shop he ran for almost 40 years.

They told The Glasgow Times that the father-of-three served generations of school children and put an extra sweet in their bags.

His son Zeeshan Chaudhry told the BBC: "My beloved father was the most amazing hardworking human and parent."

Jane Murphy was known as "Mama Murphy" by close friends and colleagues at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

She worked at the city hospital for almost 30 years, first as a cleaner before retraining as a clinical support worker.

The 73-year-old, from Bonnyrigg, was placed on sick leave due to her age when the pandemic broke out.

It's understood the mother-of-two died on 16 April.

Her friend Gerry Taylor said: "She wasn't afraid to tell nurses, doctors or consultants if they were not pulling their weight and they loved her for it."

Edinburgh NHS worker dies with Covid-19

Mary McCann, 70, was a "strong, wonderful woman" who was dedicated to her family, according to her son, David.

She spent the last three months of her life in an East Kilbride care home, having being diagnosed with cancer last year.

The grandmother was doing well in the Whitehills home, where she was putting on weight and smiling again, David said.

But in early April she developed a urinary tract infection. Her condition deteriorated quickly and within days she was struggling to breathe.

She died in the care home on 16 April with her son, Derek, by her side.

'Mum was doing well, then came this crazy disease'

Verity Watson met her husband Adam (Adie) in a bible class and together they raised three sons, Alan, Gordon and Adam.

They lived in South Africa for a few years but returned to their beloved home of Rutherglen in 1970.

She worked at the local Coulls Bakers until retiring aged 72 but in her spare time she enjoyed bowls, knitting and - best of all - a cream cake with a cup of tea.

Her family were unable to be with her when she died at Roger Park Care Home on 15 April 2020, after a short stay in hospital.

Her son Adam said he couldn't thank staff enough for their "invaluable support", sitting with his mother in her final moments. She was 98.

David Whittick joined the Royal Navy as a pilot on his 18th birthday in the midst of World War Two. Aged 19, as part of 835 Naval Air Squadron, he was flying off aircraft carrier HMS Nairana in the Arctic.

Almost 70 years later he received the Arctic Star for his role in Arctic Convoys - described by Sir Winston Churchill as "the worst journey in the world".

He survived two serious accidents during his long civilian career with Scottish Airways and later British Airways, before dedicating himself to supporting the Riding for the Disabled charity in his retirement.

His work - including helping to raise funds for a purpose-built facility at Summerston in Glasgow - led to him being appointed an OBE by the Queen for his services to charity.

He was married to Joyce for more than 60 years and they had four children. His son, Peter, said he lived a full and active life, even enjoying a trip on a seaplane in January this year. He died at Erskine care home in Bishopton on 14 April, aged 95, after falling ill with coronavirus.

Anne Duncan contracted coronavirus in Letham Park care home in Edinburgh.

Her daughter Linda, a lawyer for the BBC, had hoped she would survive the virus as she was from "strong stock".

She last saw her mother in March when she travelled from London to warn her they may not be able to visit her during the pandemic.

The pensioner had been "extremely distressed" afterwards, Ms Duncan said.

She was taken to Edinburgh's Western General Hospital on 12 April and died three days later.

Care home death 'hard to process' for family

Derek Wilkie worked for 27 years as a firefighter before retiring in December 2017.

He had senior roles in Badenoch and Strathspey, and Shetland before becoming station commander for Inverness and Nairn District.

Colleagues said he was a "diligent and capable firefighter... with a larger than life personality".

His wife and two sons - who all work for the NHS - thanked those who cared for Mr Wilkie and urged people to stay at home.

He died at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness on 12 April.

Ex-firefighter dies after contracting Covid-19

Former Merchant Navy engineer Bill Campbell died of suspected Covid-19 at Erskine Park care home in Bishopton.

The 86-year-old had dementia and carers initially thought he had a chest infection but he developed a cough and a high temperature.

His condition deteriorated and he died on Easter Sunday, with his daughter, Linda Verlaque - in full protective clothing - by his side.

She praised the work of carers at the home but she said his death was "horrific" as undertakers came to take away his body in full hazmat gear and goggles.

"Instead of having people surrounding me and giving me a hug to say everything was all right, everyone was just standing there and we were watching my dad being taken away, which was traumatic," she said.

Dad's virus death in care home was 'traumatic'

Proud Welshman Glyn Edwards did not learn to speak English until he was five years old, but in adulthood he made Edinburgh his home.

A contemporary of Neil Kinnock at Cardiff University, he worked as a civil servant in London before marrying and moving to Scotland.

He was a regular at Robbie's Bar on Leith Walk where he was known as "McTaffy" but he could be a solitary character who could easily lose himself in a book or a concert.

Classical music, politics and poetry were his passions - as a teenager he won a major Welsh poetry contest and his daughter, Mhairi Jarvie, treasures a ring-binder full of his poems.

She affectionately described her father as a cross between Coronation Street's Ken Barlow and Victor Meldrew - "intelligent, opinionated, political, but grumpy and a tad anti-social".

Glyn died with Covid on 11 April 2020, aged 76.

Maths teacher Gerry McHugh was a "true gentleman", able to inspire every single student who walked through his door.

His death would have a "devastating effect" on the Notre Dame High School community in Greenock, head teacher Katie Couttie said.

Unable to attend his funeral due to the lockdown, past and current pupils found a unique way to pay tribute to the 58-year-old.

They wore red and posted images on social media in memory of the lifelong Manchester United fan.

He died on 11 April.

Pupils find safe way to honour much-loved teacher

Eileen McCarron died in Glasgow Royal Infirmary less than 24 hours after falling ill. She had no underlying health concerns.

A mother of three daughters, she spent 18 years working as a nursery teacher at Save the Children's Charles Street playgroup in Glasgow's Germiston.

She gave up the job to look after her only grandson, Patrick. Her husband of more than 35 years, also Patrick, died suddenly in 1997, aged just 57.

As well as volunteering at a Barnardo's charity shop, she liked shopping, knitting, going out for coffees and lunches, and holidays with her family.

She was 79 when she died on 9 April, leaving her family devastated and unable to comfort each other during lockdown. They had still not been able to hold a memorial service nine months later.

Helen McMillan was 10 days short of her 85th birthday when she died at Almond Court care home in Glasgow's Drumchapel on 9 April.

She spent most of her life in Summerston, where she widely known as "Auntie Ellen" - even to those she wasn't related to.

"Everybody loved my mum," her daughter, Jackie Marlow, told BBC Scotland. "She knew everybody in the community and was the life and soul of the party."

Helen worked in McLellan's rubber factory in Maryhill until she was in her 50s.

A grandmother to Hayley and Josh, she developed dementia in later life but she was still "pretty agile and loving life", her daughter said.

Mary Martin and her husband, Alex, were keen ballroom dancers.

Although their roots were firmly in Glasgow, they spent seven years in Dunblane where they were tasked with encouraging people on to the dancefloor at the Dunblane Hydro.

Before that, Mrs Martin brought up her family in Mount Vernon, later moving to Bearsden. She had three children, six grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and a great-great grandchild.

Her daughter, Sandra O'Neill, told BBC Scotland she was "just a wonderful person - gentle and kind".

In her later years she had vascular dementia and she lived at the Almond Court care home in Drumchapel. She died there on 8 April, aged 88.

Vic and Maureen Sharp, who were both 74, had been together since they were teenagers.

Underlying health conditions meant the couple from Oakley in Fife were both asked to shield themselves during lockdown.

But their daughter, Yvonne Sharp, believes the letter came too late and they caught the virus during a weekly trip to the supermarket.

Maureen died in hospital on 8 April and then, Yvonne said, her father "just gave up". He died the following day.

Only six members of the family could attend their funeral but a piper led the funeral cortege through Oakley, where locals lined the streets.

Lockdown causing 'acute grief' for bereaved

When Ann Tonner left the Nazareth House orphanage in Glasgow as teenager, she was one of the few women of colour in the city, according to her son, Tony McCaffery.

She was "exotic-looking and quite glamourous" and was soon in demand as a model for local shops and boutiques before working as a celebrated hot-dog girl in an Odeon cinema.

Her first husband tragically died and her second was largely absent, leaving her to bring up six children and - at times - hold down five jobs at once.

She was a "remarkable, formidable woman with a strong work ethic", Mr McCaffery told BBC Scotland, but she was also a "gentle soul with an incredibly child-like sense of humour".

A grandmother and great-grandmother, Mrs Tonner died at a nursing home in Glasgow where she was living with Alzheimer's, on 8 April. She was 84.

Mary Nixon was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when she was just 18 but she was determined to never let it hold her back.

Born and raised in Greenock, she was a lone parent to four children who described her as a "strong, independent woman who lived life to the full".

"My mum made being a single parent look easy", her daughter Alexis said. "We were very happy kids growing up. Everyone loved her and always said she was a 'wee gem'."

When she fell seriously ill in 2014, her family was told to prepare for the worst, but their "invincible" mum rallied, though she lost her mobility.

She died with Covid on 7 April 2020, aged 66. After everything she had been through in life, her family said they felt "robbed... that this awful virus has taken her from us".

Janice Graham was the first NHS worker to die with coronavirus in Scotland.

The health care support worker and district nurse died at Inverclyde Royal Hospital on 6 April.

One colleague said she had a "bright and engaging personality and razor sharp wit".

Another said the 58-year-old was the "most kind, caring and compassionate HCA I have had the privilege to work with".

Her son, Craig, told STV News he would miss everything about her.

Nurse remembered for her 'kindness and compassion'

Newly-wed Andy Wyness developed a high temperature and a cough following a trip to Wales.

When his symptoms worsened the 53-year-old drove himself from his Wishaw home to an appointment at an assessment centre.

That was the last time his wife, Sandra, saw him.

The grandfather, who was a keen bowler, was taken straight to hospital by ambulance. He died on 6 April.

"Even walking out the house that night, although I knew he wasn't well, I never imagined he would never walk back in," Sandra said.

My husband went to the doctor and never came back

Rita Hawthorn spent the first 35 years of her life in Hamilton, where she was born, grew up and had her own family.

But when her husband, Robert, lost his job as a miner the couple and their three children re-located from the west of Scotland to the far north in 1973.

While Robert took up a new job at the Scottish Instruments Factory in Wick, she worked as a cleaner at a nearby job centre and became secretary of the Highlands and Islands Civil Service Union.

She was sadly widowed at 51 but she was "fiercely independent" and went on to fulfil her dreams of travelling - a trip up the Nile, a safari in South Africa, and solo bus tours to Austria and Paris.

Rita, who was a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, fell ill during the first week of lockdown. She died at Caithness General Hospital on 6 April, aged 82.

Bill Paul grew up in Giffnock on the south side of Glasgow and did his national service as a radar operator with the RAF in Malta.

In his youth he was an extremely accomplished tennis player and it was through the sport that he met his first wife, Frances, who died in 1984.

With his second wife, Liz, he loved to play golf and travel - hobbies that he continued after her death in 2012.

An extremely active man, he loved to go on cruises with a group of like-minded friends. However his last cruise to the Caribbean was cut short by the pandemic in March.

He returned home to Arran and fell ill with Covid within a week. He died at Lamlash Hospital on 5 April, aged 81.

Mofizul Islam was beginning a new life in Scotland after relocating from Bangladesh when he fell ill with coronavirus.

His family believe the 49-year-old caught the virus on his daily three-hour journeys between their Edinburgh home and his job at a pizza outlet in Midlothian.

He died on 5 April and was buried in the Muslim section of a city cemetery but his wife and children were in isolation and unable to attend.

His death has left the family "completely helpless", according to a family friend as they have no documents, no bank account and they are struggling for money.

"We are very worried about our future because we don't have our father," said Mofizul's 19-year-old son, Azahural. "He was everything for us. And now we are just hopeless."

Family 'helpless' after father's coronavirus death

Catherine Sweeney was a "wonderful mother, sister and beloved aunty", her family said after her death on 4 April.

Born and raised in Dumbarton, she worked as a home carer for more than 20 years.

Her family said she would be sorely missed after a "lifetime of service" to the community.

And they praised the medics at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley who "heroically" looked after her in her final days.

Carer was 'dedicated to the most vulnerable'

Jimmy Andrews was 17 years old when began his career in Glasgow Corporation's finance department in 1955.

By the turn of the century, he had risen to become chief executive of Glasgow City Council and in 2001 he was appointed CBE for services to local government - a "career highlight".

He was born in Kilsyth but spent much of his life living in Strathblane, Stirlingshire, with his wife of 52 years, Mary.

In retirement, he "enjoyed life to the full", spending time with his three children and six grandchildren, and visiting horse racing courses throughout the country.

A gentle, intelligent man with a great sense of humour, he died at Glasgow Royal Infirmary on 3 April 2020, aged 81.

Lord Gordon of Strathblane was a former political editor of STV and he founded Radio Clyde.

He died at Glasgow Royal Infirmary on 31 March after contracting coronavirus, Radio Clyde reported. He was 83.

His family paid tribute to his "generosity, his kindness and his enthusiasm for life".

Former First Minister Jack McConnell said Lord Gordon had "an outstanding career in business and public service".

Labour peer dies 'after contracting coronavirus'

Ryan Storrie was in Scotland to celebrate his 40th birthday with a trip to a Rangers match when he fell ill.

The father-of-two was from Ardrossan but lived in Dubai.

When he developed symptoms, the asthmatic isolated in his hotel room and waited for the virus to run its course.

His condition deteriorated but he wouldn't let his wife, Hilary, phone 999 as he was convinced he would recover and didn't want to bother the NHS.

She found him dead in his room on 31 March.

'Ryan was the last person I expected to die'

Mary and Andy Leaman began self-isolating at the end of March after falling ill with flu-like symptoms.

Their son, Andy, told the Glasgow Evening Times the couple were married 50 years and doted on their only granddaughter, nine-year-old Anna.

Mrs Leaman died at home in Castlemilk on 30 March - four days after the death of Anna's maternal grandfather, Dougie Chambers.

The schoolgirl lost her third grandparent almost three weeks later when Mr Leaman died in hospital on 19 April.

Her mother, Lynsey Chalmers, told BBC Scotland: "For a nine-year-old girl whose three grandparents were her world... why does a wee girl need to get punished like that over and over again?"

Earlier lockdown 'could have stopped 2,000 deaths'

Robert Tarbet was "self-opinionated and witty", according to his daughter, Paula Karoly, but also "hardworking, loyal and beautiful".

He spent his working life as a plumber with Glasgow City Council before retiring in the early 2000s.

In his spare time, the sociable man was a mason who was a keen follower of Rangers FC. He loved country and western music and watching musicals in the theatre.

A father and a grandfather-of-three, he was being treated for cancer when he contracted coronavirus.

He died on 29 March at Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, aged 76.

School janitor Ian Wilson was at home in Coatbridge for two weeks with a high temperature and delirium before being admitted to hospital.

Despite his worsening condition, doctors initially told his wife, Sandra, she would not be able to visit the 72-year-old who had a heart condition and diabetes.

Staff eventually granted access provided she wore protective equipment - a decision which meant she could be at her husband's side when he died on 29 March.

Although nurses were unable to comfort her with a hug due to social distancing protocols, Mrs Wilson is grateful they allowed her to be with her partner at the end.

"I was able to talk to him and just say goodbye. I've got strength from that," she said.

The impact my husband's death had on NHS staff

Dougie Chambers was one of several people who fell ill after the 40th birthday party of his daughter, Wendy, on 7 March.

Within days, the 66-year-old, who had an underlying health condition, went into hospital and tested positive for Covid-19.

Mr Chambers, who was from Castlemilk in Glasgow, died two weeks later, on 26 March.

Two other members of his extended family - Andy and Mary Leaman - also contracted the virus and later died.

Wendy said: "If we knew then what we know now, we wouldn't have had the party. It wouldn't have happened."

Earlier lockdown 'could have stopped 2,000 deaths'

Danny Cairns was a healthy 68-year-old before he fell ill with coronavirus, according to his brother, Hugh.

When he developed a cough and sore throat at the end of March, he isolated at home in Greenock.

But within days he was so ill he had to be taken to hospital by ambulance.

In a video call from his hospital bed, his last words to his brother were: "I'm on my way out, mate".

He died on 26 March, three days after arriving in hospital.

'I'm on my way out, mate'

Margaret Innes lived with her daughter, Sally McNaught, in Edinburgh for four years before her death at the very beginning of the pandemic.

She was housebound and very frail but she loved sitting with their pet cat and dog, doing crosswords and watching quiz shows.

Her favourite soap was Neighbours and she used to say "I'm off to Australia now".

Ms McNaught said they stopped visitors coming to the house a week before lockdown, they washed their hands, cleaned everything and thought they would be safe.

But Ms Innes woke up on Mother's Day with severe breathing difficulties. She died on 25 March, three days after going into hospital. She was 93.

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Has one of your loved ones died recently after contracting Covid? We would like to pay tribute to some of them on the BBC Scotland website.

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