Elizabeth was born in Edinburgh but brought up in a village outside the city and always regarded herself as a “country girl”. After school she went to work as a librarian in Edinburgh University Library, and it was there that she met her future life-partner, a young medical student Iain Palin. The couple were married in 1973 after Iain qualified as a doctor, and the couple lived in Edinburgh and in Inverness, Scotland as he undertook hospital posts. It was in Inverness in 1975 that she committed herself to the Bahá’í Faith as her spiritual path, and she remained an active member for the rest of her life. In Inverness she began her life of service to the Faith as a member of the Local Spiritual Assembly and was “thrown in at the deep end” as she put it by being elected Treasurer when the previous incumbent died suddenly.

In 1977 the couple moved to Northern Ireland, then in the depths of its “Troubles” where her husband joined a family medical practice [and incidentally the couple were able to save the Spiritual Assembly of Londonderry, which had dropped in numbers to seven]. In succeeding years Elizabeth had four children and would eventually see five grandchildren, all of whom loved her deeply. She was active in the Bahá’í community in her own right as well as supporting Iain in his professional and Bahá’í responsibilities, lovingly caring for her family, and being involved in organisations and service in the wider community (particularly supporting the local primary school and women’s organisations). She displayed artistic talents, such as producing intricate patchwork quilts; when she was no longer physically able to pursue this she found a new passion in encaustic wax art and many Bahá’í homes in the Province contain some of her work, especially a rendering of the Greatest Name or the Ringstone symbol. She was closely involved in the organisation of an exhibition “Art as an Act of Worship” which was shown in a prestigious venue in Londonderry and included some of her work.

Elizabeth served on the Spiritual Assembly of Londonderry almost every year from 1978  until her passing, and was for many of them its Treasurer. She was also a member of the Bahá’í Council for Northern Ireland for a period, was involved with the Training Institute process from an early stage (and was one of a group from NI sent to the Centre for Bahá’í Studies in Acuto, Italy, for special training), and later for several years was Coordinator of the Literature Review Panel for the National Spiritual Assembly.

She was also a huge support to Iain in his Bahá’í service, something recognised when he stepped down from the National Spiritual Assembly and they were both called to the front at National Convention of 2005 to receive the thanks of the Assembly and delegates.

Over the years her physical health declined, at first slowly, and she was diagnosed with CMT, a disabling genetic disorder causing pain, muscle weakness, and lack of coordination, and for which there is no specific treatment. Her last years were marked by growing disability but her spirit remained strong and after Iain retired the couple were able to fulfil dreams of travelling widely together up until 2019, less than a year before her passing. Fittingly, her last trip was to her native city of Edinburgh. She passed away in Altnagelvin Hospital, Londonderry, on 6 August 2020.

Elizabeth was a quiet woman but with a knack for making friends, loving and loved, with many talents and a good sense of humour. The courage with which she bore her increasing health problems drew the admiration of all who knew her. The grave of Hand of the Cause Dr John Esslemont in Haifa bears the words “By All Who Knew Him, He Was Loved” – this would also be a fitting epitaph for Elizabeth Palin.

Written by Elizabeth’s husband Dr Iain Palin, December 2020

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