Obituary: Lady Marion Campbell, charity worker, 92

Her work on behalf of the RAF Benevolent Fund in Scotland was tireless and her commitment to the memory of members of Bomber Command never wavered.

Lady Campbell was also a director of the family firm that sold tartan and owned the famous shop on Princes Street which had a placard reading: "If your name is here we have your tartan."

Born Marion Kirkhope Shiel in Davidson's Mains on January 27, 1918, she was one of seven children.

She attended the Mary Erskine Girls' School before going on to work in the Bank of Scotland, and in 1941 she married Lt Hamish Paterson of the Seaforth Highlanders.

They lived in Spottiswoode, where their daughter Marion was born. After her marriage Lady Campbell joined the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) and so began her lifelong interest, not only in the WAAF, but also the RAF.

She was promoted to the rank of Section Officer, specialising in code and cipher serving with Bomber Command in the south before being transferred to Cairo and Cyprus.

On being demobilised Lady Campbell returned to Edinburgh but in 1948 her husband was tragically killed in a train crash in Northumbria.

She joined the family business and served as director. The family came from Duns, Berwickshire but opened a draper's business in Picardy Place in Edinburgh. They later moved into the tartan business with several branches in Scotland and Canada.

In 1961 Lady Campbell married Sir Ian Campbell, who had a distinguished career in business and politics and served as an Edinburgh councillor from 1984 to 1988. Both committed Christians, they were supporters of St Cuthbert's Church in Edinburgh's West End.

Lady Campbell played golf at Dalmahoy and was a bridge and canasta player.

She collected annually for the RAF Benevolent Fund and her work was warmly remembered by Group Captain Bob Kemp.

"Marion was one of our most regular and loyal supporters," he said. "Her work on fundraising days was untiring. Any help she could give she gave willingly and with much grace."

Her family recall her with much affection. "Marion was committed to the family business but also particularly to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren."

Lady Marion Campbell died on October 16, 2010, in Edinburgh. She is survived by her husband and daughter.