MARY, DUCHESS OF MONTROSE, who died in February, 1957, had been made an Honorary Life Governor of the Institution, the highest award conferred on an honorary worker, in 1955. She had been president of the Arran Ladies' Life-boat Guild and later president of the Stirling Ladies' Lifeboat Guild, and took an active part in the work of the Scottish Life-boat Council. Her late husband, the sixth Duke of Montrose, had been Treasurer of the Institution from 1947 until 1952, and had been a vice-president and chairman of the Scottish Life-boat Council.

At the funeral service held on the 26th of February, 1957, Admiral Sir Angus Cunninghame Graham, a member of the Committee of Management, Colonel A. D. Burnett Brown, Secretary of the Institution (representing the Chairman), and Mrs. J. D. Paton, District Organising Secretary for Scotland (representing the Chairman of the Scottish Life-boat Council) were present. Members of the Troon lifeboat crew stood at the coffin at the service in the church..