 | 'We're all in shock. Margaret has been a close colleague for many years and we will miss her advice, her company and especially her good humour.' Richard Lochhead MSP, 22 nd March 2006. |  |
| 'We're all in shock. Margaret has been a close colleague for many years and we will miss her advice, her company and especially her good humour.' Richard Lochhead MSP, 22 nd March 2006. | |
The husband of Margaret Ewing hopes people whose lives she touched during her years as an MP and MSP will turn out to pay their last respects at her funeral today.
Fergus Ewing said his wife had a deep fondness for the people she had represented in Moray for nearly two decades.
The funeral service at St Gerardine's High Church in Lossiemouth, where Mrs Ewing was a member, will be attended by many senior figures on the Scottish political scene.
But Mr Ewing said it would be an occasion where everyone would be welcome, particularly those who had reason to be grateful for his wife's support and assistance over the years.
"Margaret would not want them to be deterred from attending because there will be dignitaries there," he said. "It is a funeral service for everyone and that is the way Margaret would have wanted it."
Mr Ewing is still trying to come to terms with the loss of his wife, who died at their home in Lossiemouth early on Tuesday at the age of 60.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer four years ago and in 2004 spent time in hospital recovering from pneumonia. Earlier this year she was found to be suffering from anaemia.
Although she had been absent from the Scottish Parliament for the past few weeks, she had felt well enough to hold a two-and-a-half hour constituency surgery last Saturday and she spoke at the annual meeting of the Moray SNP Association the following day.
Mr Ewing, 48, who is MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, said he had last spoken to his wife by phone at about 8pm on Monday while he was in Edinburgh.
He said she had sounded cheerful and was pleased she had managed to attend the association meeting at which she had pledged her support to north-east MSP Richard Lochhead, who was selected to fight Moray for the nationalists at next year's elections after she announced she would be standing down.
Mrs Ewing had booked a flight to Edinburgh on Tuesday with the intention of returning to work, but had cancelled it the previous day after feeling the effects of her busy weekend schedule. Her husband said she had been looking forward to retirement from politics.
"Margaret always said she wanted to retire while she was still young enough to enjoy it," he said. "She always felt that, especially at Westminster, there were people who stayed on too long. Margaret had done her service and she wanted to have time to herself."
A dog lover, she was looking forward to getting a canine companion in her retirement to accompany her on walks along the beach near her home.
Mr Ewing said he believed his wife would like to be remembered for the help and care she had given to many people during her life.
"She would have been quite touched to think that they would remember her from time to time," he said.
Former SNP leader and long-standing friend John Swinney will give the eulogy at today's funeral, while Lossiemouth pensioner Sam Rennie, a friend of Mr and Mrs Ewing, will give a reading. The funeral will be followed by a private cremation on Monday.
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