1937-2021

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Mary Codling, better known to her patients and many dental friends as Mary McFarlane, was born in 1937. She and her brother Ian were brought up in Blackburn in the house where her father William McFarlane ran his dental practice. Dentistry was in the genes, and the siblings both ended up following in their father's footsteps.

Mary started her degree in September 1955, joining a group of dental students at the Turner Dental School, Manchester University, who, as they were embarking on a new course, were named 'Guinea Pigs' by the then Dean. On graduation in 1960, a long and enduring group 'the Guinea Pig Club' was formed.

On qualifying, Mary worked in the community dental service, before joining her father in the family dental practice, continuing to build the practice after her father retired.

Despite marriage and the arrival of three daughters and the acquisition of her wonderful historic home, Mary continued her dental career. She was always a staunch supporter of the Ribble Section of the BDA and was North Western Branch President as well as a member of the LDC.

Fascinated by dental history, Mary was an active member of the Lindsay Society and inherited an extensive historic dental instrument collection - one that is now in need of a new home!

Throughout her life, Mary continued to develop and expand her dental knowledge, attending numerous courses in the UK and beyond. As part of general dentistry, she carried out simple orthodontics, using removable appliances. Mary later made time, despite continuing with her main practice, to undertake additional training to seek to become a Specialist (NHS) Orthodontist which she proudly achieved at the age of 60. When others might be retiring, she gave up general dental practice but worked as a Specialist Orthodontist in two practices and the CDS for a further 13 years.

Retirement meant travelling and keeping up with friends and family in the UK and abroad. It meant time to enjoy her grandchildren, to develop her interest in music, going to concerts and joining a choir, and not to mention continuing her lifelong interest in the history of her home, Martholme.

In the last years of her life Parkinson's disease combined with mobility problems meant Mary moved to a nursing home - albeit with regular jaunts to the nearby pub. Mary died peacefully surrounded by family on 14 August 2021.

Maire Morton, Geoff Garnett, Phillipa Codling, Emma Hawker