Former News reporter will be sorely missed
Tributes pour in for Eddie Docherty, 57
ANDREA LAMBROU
Tributes have poured in for former East Kilbride News reporter Eddie Docherty who died suddenly last week.
A senior press officer for NHS Lanarkshire, Eddie suffered a heart attack on Tuesday, March 24.
The 57-year-old – who worked as senior reporter at the East Kilbride News from 2002 to 2008 – was described by his grieving friends and colleagues as “selfless, genuine and wise”.
Paying tribute this week, his heartbroken sister Pauline said: “All the family are devastated.
“No words can describe what an amazing son, brother and uncle he was. His friends and family had so much love and admiration for him.
“He will be sorely missed. He was a great man who lived a great life and we all loved him dearly.”
Starting his career in journalism, Eddie worked on a variety of newspapers including our sister paper the Hamilton Advertiser, Lanarkshire People, West End Courier and Glasgow Courier, and carried out shifts at the Evening Times and Daily Record.
Former colleague at the East Kilbride News and close friend, Caroline Wilson, said: “I remember him going out to get us all breakfast rolls at the EK News.
“Everyone got bacon and sausage and lovely stuff like that, and he brought me a cheese roll, because he wasn’t sure what to get a vegetarian. We never let him forget it.
“The editor Gordon Bury also decided one day he was going to do a pop quiz. Anyway, of course Eddie got about 99 out of a hundred because all the music was from him and Gordon’s era.”
Eddie worked in various roles at NHS Lanarkshire, including senior communications officer and acting communications manager.
During the last year, he was the communications lead for the ‘distress brief intervention’ project.
His work and professionalism was hugely appreciated by colleagues, something that was formally recognised when he was a finalist for ‘communicator of the year’ at the NHSScotland Communications Awards in 2018.
Calvin Brown, director of communications at NHS Lanarkshire, said: “Eddie was such a big part of our team and the wider NHS.
“We’ve been inundated by lovely messages from the many people he worked with here over years.
“He was selfless, patient, wise and dedicated. More often than not, he was the first person to volunteer to help out as well as being the last person to leave at the end of the day.
“We couldn’t have had the pleasure to have worked with a nicer, more genuine guy. We will miss him as a wonderful friend and hugely popular colleague.”
Eddie was a fierce competitor, leading Ed’s Devils in the annual NHS Lanarkshire walking challenge and helped to arrange a weekly game of five-a-side football.
He always kept busy whether it was watching live music, hillwalking, watching or playing football, playing the guitar, learning to swim in his 50s, or hosting an annual Eurovision party.
He even co-wrote and recorded a potential song for Europe, “Pants on Fire,” which was, unfortunately, rejected as the UK entry.
Eddie’s funeral arrangements are still to be confirmed.