Dalbeattie High head teacher Susan Bain passed away on December 3, aged 53.
Ex-colleagues, former pupils and everyone who was inspired by the mum of one have paid tribute since the news of her death broke.
Susan served as assistant rector at Lockerbie Academy for 17 years until 2009 and Lockerbie Academy were just one school to pay tribute.
Long time colleague and friend Barbara Lewis of Lockerbie Academy said: “Susan was a person with a huge amount of energy and drive.
“She was rarely to be found in her office — she was usually to be found walking speedily around the school, praising good work and behaviour when she found them, but also challenging slipshod efforts and a lack of manners.
“She had very high standards in her professional life — she worked very hard, both at teaching and with administrative duties and always gave her best. She expected school staff and her students to do the same.
“Susan was very popular with the students at Lockerbie Academy and they respected her and responded well to her. She was kind and supportive to those who had personal problems, but she was also very firm with those who behaved badly, those who shirked, and those who were disrespectful to their teachers.”
Barbara has also praised Susan as being a supportive and memorable colleague.
She said: “She was very creative and often had good ideas about how things could be improved, or how they could be changed completely.
“She had great vision and knew how to take an idea from its inception to incorporating it as practice in the life of the school. Susan was very much a part of Lockerbie Academy and supported everything that happened there, from school trips to school shows, from sporting events to academic occasions.
“Susan’s great sense of fun and wit were appreciated by the students she taught and the staff she worked with.
“Her immense dedication to her work was an example to all of us. She will be sadly missed.”
Susan is survived by her husband Brian and daughter Stephanie.
A celebration of Susan’s life was held at the Easterbrook Hall in Dumfries on Wednesday.
All donations in her memory were made to Melanoma UK and the Alexandra Unit at DGRI.
Meanwhile, a Just Giving page has been set up in Susan’s memory, raising money for Melanoma UK and so far nearly £1000 has been raised.
To donate visit: www.justgiving.com/AudrieSmith1/?utm— source=Facebook&utm—medium=fund raisingpage&utm—content=AudrieSmith1&utm—campaign=pfp-share
