In memoriam: Professor Winifred Logan Gordon (1926 – 2025)

Winifred Logan was born in Edinburgh, graduated MA at the University, then qualified as a nurse at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Following various posts in the UK and North America, she qualified as a nurse educator and was appointed as a lecturer at the Department of Nursing Studies (DNS), University of Edinburgh. 

Soon after she was offered a World Health Organisation (WHO) Fellowship to take a degree in education administration at Columbia University, New York and on her return to the DNS, she was course organiser for the first degree programme in the UK where nursing was recognised as a graduating subject; indeed it was the first in Europe.

Several years later, the University granted her a one-year leave of absence to become Director of Nursing Services in the newly created Ministry of Health in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. In 1974, she was appointed the first Nursing Officer for Education at the Scottish Office, and in 1978 she went to Geneva as Executive Director of the International Council of Nurses which at that time represented over a million nurses in eighty-eight countries.

Her final post, before retirement in 1986, was as the first Head of Department at the recently-created Department of Health and Nursing at Glasgow Caledonian University. At various times during her career, she was invited to be a WHO Temporary Consultant for example in Malaysia, Iraq and in Europe; and she also went to India on behalf of the UK Overseas Development Agency.

Along with Nancy Roper and Alison Tierney, she co-authored four textbooks, the most well-known being 'The Elements of Nursing: A model of nursing based on a model of living’ which was translated into thirteen other languages. She also contributed numerous articles to a variety of journals; served on several national and international academic and nursing committees; and was invited to give lectures in various countries. 

In recognition of her contribution to the nursing profession, nationally and internationally, she received honorary degrees from the University of Surrey and Glasgow Caledonian University and was made an Honorary Fellow of her alma mater, the University of Edinburgh. On a voluntary basis she worked with Telephone Samaritans for two years and from 1967-70 she was County Nursing Officer British Red Cross Society (Scottish Branch).

Later she was on the committee of the St. Andrews Preservation Trust and was a volunteer Guide at the Burrell Art Collection in Glasgow. After retirement, Win married widower Dr William J. Gordon, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, and they enjoyed many happy years until his death in 2009. She continued to have a keen interest in nursing and in current affairs. Even into her nineties she continued to work as a volunteer with Alzheimer Scotland and with Carers Link.

Win is survived by her niece, stepson, stepdaughter and their families.

The School extends our heartfelt condolences to her family. Win is remembered with affection and gratitude by so many in the nursing profession and particularly by her former students in Nursing Studies at the University of Edinburgh.