JESSIE GUNN Newlands, Bettyhill
Jessie Gunn was born at Newlands, Bettyhill, on 11 September 1928, the second youngest of the 12 children, six girls and six boys, of John Brown Mackay and Mary Bella Mackay of Spittal in Caithness.
Her father died unexpectedly when she was 18 years of age.
Jessie attended school in Bettyhill until the age of 14 and began working in domestic service in 1942 with the Armstrong family in Gilnockie, Bettyhill and Edinburgh. She always had fond memories of her time with the Armstrong family as they treated her very well. She particularly enjoyed the time as a nanny to their son.
During this period in her life Jessie developed her passion for Scottish dancing through attending dances in Bettyhill, Skerray and Strathnaver. She often reminisced about halcyon times walking back home from dances in Skerray across Apigill Hill with friends and family on warm, moonlit summer nights.
She went to work with the Cluny family as a nanny in Kent at the age of 21.
She was introduced to her husband, Jack Gunn, by her brother, Heckie, who was a close friend.
They married at the Bettyhill Church of Scotland on 25 July, 1952, and moved to Jack’s family home at Achnabat, Skerray.
Their son David was born in 1954 and daughters, Maureen and Jan, in 1957 and 1962 respectively.
The family lived in Drumbeg, Assynt, for a year in 1964 when Jack was employed by Belzie Mackay on a construction project.
In 1969 the family moved from their home in Achnabat to Newlands, Bettyhill, to care for Jessie’s mother until her death in 1976. After leaving her home, the family lived in various locations in Bettyhill, including the old Free Church and Church of Scotland Manses, because of her desire to remain in the village.
Jack began building a bungalow in Newlands, which was completed in 1981, despite a setback in the winter of 1978, when the roof was destroyed by the notorious winds in that part of the country.
Jessie always spoke about thinking when she was a young girl that the site in Newlands would make a lovely place for a house. After her dream was realised, she was rightly very proud of her home and in particular the picturesque view of Farr Bay from her sitting room window.
Jessie was always a caring person who spent a large period of her life looking after relatives and as a home help in the village. She was a home help to Teen Munro, Naver, for 17 years until her death at the age of 96 in 1991.
Jessie lived independently at home after the death of Jack in 2001. She was always known for her remarkable stamina and was never afraid to climb Paddy’s Brae on her way home in all types of weather after her daily visit to the local shop.
She also, until very recently, enjoyed long walks in the hills above Newlands.
Jessie was badly affected by the deaths of her youngest brother, Angie, and sister, Mary, in 2005. She latterly found it an emotional burden being the last of the family of 12, after many happy memories involving her siblings.
She also greatly missed the companionship and friendship of her bridesmaid, Teen Mackay, who died in 2009.
Jessie took great delight in spending time with her seven grand children and three great grandchildren. She also attended the Free Church in Bettyhill on a regular basis.
In the previous 12 months Jessie was supported in her home by her family, friends, neighbours and carers.
Jessie spent her final weeks with family in Perth and passed away peacefully on 6 January, 2012.
The funeral service was conducted by the Reverend Andrew Fraser, Dingwall and the Reverend Kenny Macleod, Thurso at Skerray Free Church on 11 January. The pall bearers at Skerray Cemetery were: David Gunn, son; Ross Murray, son in law; Keith Doig, partner of daughter; Jamie Matthews, Ross Murray, Adam Murray, Scott Matthews, grandsons; John Mackay, Colin Mackay, George Mackay, nephews.
—David Gunn.
