Funeral details for former SNP minister Jeane Freeman announced

The former health secretary, who died last week after a short illness, will be remembered in a ceremony at the University of Glasgow’s Bute Hall.

A cremation will be held prior to the memorial for immediate family and close friends only.

READ MORE: Former SNP health secretary Jeane Freeman dies at the age of 72

Ms Freeman’s partner of 25 years, Susan Stewart, said she had been “overwhelmed by messages” and expressed her gratitude for them.

She said in post on social media: “They are such a huge comfort and I didn’t think my pride for my ‘wee yin’ could be any greater.

“But my heart is bursting.”

The ceremony will be held on Saturday, February 28 at 1.30pm.

Ms Freeman, who became an MSP in 2015, died on February 7 after being diagnosed with lung cancer just 25 days before.

She was the SNP secretary of state for health and sport between 2018 and 2021 and led the covid pandemic response in Scotland.

In tributes paid last week, the First Minister John Swinney, the first minister, said Ms Freeman, who was the SNP MSP for Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley from 2016 to 2021, was a devoted public servant.

He said: “In her long and varied career, Jeane always had people at her heart and had an unrelenting aim to improve people’s lives.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon pays emotional tribute to former health secretary Jeane Freeman

“Working alongside her as a minister, I was always struck by her strong belief in the power of compassion and a desire for people to be treated always with dignity, fairness and respect.”

Ms Freeman was also a close ally of former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who described her former colleague as a “best friend”.

She said last week: “Words can’t even begin to convey how heartbroken I feel that Jeane Freeman has gone.

“As health secretary during Covid, she helped steer Scotland through the toughest of times.

“As well as bearing her own heavy responsibilities during that time, she helped me bear mine.

“I’m not sure I could have got through it without her by my side.”

Ms Freeman is survived by her brother Jim and her nieces and nephews, Nicola, Louise, Andrew, Paul and Rachel.

She was also sister to the late George, and aunt to the late Brian, George’s son and Louise’s brother.

Donations in Ms Freeman’s name can be made to the Beatson Cancer Centre where she began volunteering on the famous tea trolley when she retired last year.

On the announcement of her death, Ms Stewart, former Director of the Open University in Scotland, said: “Jeane and I were partners for over 25 years and I admired and supported her professional and public life.

“I am immensely proud of her, not least her latter volunteering at the Beatson centre taking round the tea trolley, a job she loved.

”But it is the private Jeane, my soulmate and companion, who I will be forever grateful to have had in my life.

“She was my biggest supporter, constantly encouraging, and also fun, feisty and argumentative. I will miss her terribly.”