THE average career spans about seven years but a passion for teaching kept Rita McIvor in the job for more than three decades - and at the age of 81, she is still going strong.

Mrs McIvor said she was inspired to go down the path of speech and drama teaching thanks to two nuns at the school she attended.

"I went to the school now known as Assumption," she said. "I was a boarder in the abbey there."

Mrs McIvor got her teaching diploma, working until she married and raised seven children.

"Then I was invited to teach for one hour a week at St Mary's 30 years ago," she said.

"Something that gives me tremendous pleasure is seeing children who are very shy come to me and you can see them blossom and be able to stand up and talk in front of people.

"I retired 10 years ago but I had private students so I continued on in the little space at the school."

Mrs McIvor said there were fewer working mothers in her day but she was lucky to have a supportive husband in Frank, who was well trained in domestic duties.

"He cooks me dinner Monday and Tuesday nights," she said.

Mrs McIvor said she was often approached by former students in the street and was teaching many of her former students' children.

"And probably their grandchildren," she said.

While Mrs McIvor said she had scaled down the number of students she was teaching, she still had a passion for passing on her favourite literature to the younger generation.

"It's lots of work, not physically, but mentally, and you do get very attached to some of the students by the end of the year," she said.

Two daughters followed a similar career path, becoming teachers, while her son, local identity David McIvor is an auctioneer for McDougall and Sons.

Mrs McIvor said she had been lucky in her marriage - recently celebrating her 60-year anniversary - and Mr McIvor tended to agree.

"I am very pleased with my purchase," he said. "I am really very proud of my wife."