Born Isobel Mavor, in the Simpsons Maternity Ward, Isobel was raised in Marchmont.
At school she initially wanted to become a sewing teacher, but after her father cautioned her that it would "no longer be enjoyable as a hobby" if she pursued it a
s a career, she instead decided to train as a shorthand typist.
After leaving school in 1949, she got a job with the Education Office in St Giles Street, where she worked until 1966.
In her later years she was sent to assist the district director of education, and was involved in the creation of the first large-scale audio typing system in Britain.
"It was very exciting," she said. "I was sent down to London and we set up a system which was remote controlled, so directors could sit in their office and dictate letters directly to the typing pool. It was quite an achievement."
In 1962, she met her future husband, engineer William Hare, on the dance floor of the city's Plaza Dance Hall, and a year later they were married at Braid Church in Morningside.
Isobel left the Education Office the same year, and over the next two decades taught audio typing to students.
The couple had no children and William sadly passed away in 1977, after which Isobel continued with her teaching, working at Esk Valley College.
Then in 1982 she started suffering from severe back pain, and in 1983 was diagnosed with the bone-wasting disease osteoporosis.
"Not much was known about it at that time – it wasn't even in the dictionary," recalled Isobel. "I contacted the National Osteoporosis Society to try and learn more about the condition, and I then attended one of their first ever conferences in Britain."
While there, Isobel met another local lady, Muriel Gowan, who suffered from the disease, and a few years later the pair decided to start up a support group in the Capital.
They held their first meeting in July 1988, with seven people coming along. The group now has more than 60 members regularly attending.
"It has been a big help to me, as it lets you find out about the practical side of the disease," she said.
"I have given talks to dozens of groups, and while I am not medically qualified, I am able to tell people what it is like to live with."
During this time she continued to work, taking a job with the fledgling independent travel company Blue Chip travel, where she worked until an eye haemorrhage in 1993 forced her to take early retirement.
Even that could not keep her down, however, and after being one of the first people in the UK to receive a pioneering operation to repair the burst blood vessel she regained her sight completely and continued her work with the support group.
Earlier this year she received a Long Service award from the National Osteoporosis Society, but on Tuesday she will effectively step down at a meeting to celebrate its anniversary.
"I have felt less well of late, and I need some 'me' time after all these years," she said.
The full article contains 546 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
