September 29, 2008

Remembering a friend

In the formative years of Lockerbie Young Curlers Club I was invited to visit the rink by Liz Smith who had established the club in 1983. She picked my brains on many occasions about junior curling and how it should be promoted. I got to know many of the juniors, and indeed the friendliness I experienced then influenced my decision twenty years on to set up home in the area. Indeed, it was Liz who first saw Skip Cottage, and suggested it might be the place for the Scottish Curler editor!

Local curlers used to joke that Liz had a bed in the ladies' changing room at the Lockerbie rink, she was there that often! That many Lockerbie curlers went on to achieve success on the national and international stage is due in large part to the effort that Liz put in over the years. She was very proud of them all.

Those who knew her know of what she did for the sport, and of her kindness to others in all sorts of ways. Some years ago she fought cancer and won. But a second battle over the last few months she could not win. When I returned from Austria this morning it was to the news that she had died last Wednesday.

The photo, from the Scottish Curler archives, is of Liz with L-R Ricky Burnett, Craig Wilson, Craig Strawhorn, Neil Murdoch and Stuart Byers, the 1993 World Junior Champions from Lockerbie.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a Loss to Lockerbie and Scottish curling. A lovely LADY. A person always cheery and welcoming, who was great surporter of Junior and Scottish curling. I'll always have fond memories of her.

Anonymous said...

A wonderful lady whom I shall remember for her friendliness and guidance when I became involved with the sport representing SRC as one of the main sponsors of the Glasgow Silver Broom in 1985