Tributes to much-loved clergyman

FORMER Tayside engineer George Cowie, who later became a Church of Scotland minister and Chaplain-in-Ordinary to the Queen, has died aged 58.

The much-loved minister who was born in Dundee and became clerk to the Presbytery of Glasgow, passed away after a long illness.

Following in the footsteps of his father who also entered ministry, George, first attended Glasgow University, training as a civil engineer.

Friends and colleagues described him as a man of deep compassion, wisdom, integrity and humour and said the church has lost a true servant of Christ.

George worked with Tayside Regional Council in Dundee before embarking on ministry.

He was licensed by the Presbytery of Glasgow in 1990 and ordained and inducted to the charge of Auchtertool linked with Kirkcaldy in 1991.

In 1999, he moved to Aberdeen, where his dad was born, to minister at Holburn Central Church.

His congregation later merged with Ruthrieston South Church to become South Holburn Church.

George is survived by his wife Marian, a fellow minister, son Graeme, daughter Kay and grandson Logan.

As minister he served the congregation until 2017 when he took up the Presbytery of Glasgow role.

He also convened the church’s legal questions committee and served as acting depute clerk to the General Assembly in 2014-15.

Rev Dr Grant Barclay said he had been “ideally suited” for the role of clerk to the presbytery.

“He had a wide experience of church life as a parish minister in Fife and then in Aberdeen and possessed a deep knowledge of church law,” he said.

“Many ministers and staff members found George’s principled commitment, genuine care and sense of humour immensely supportive and encouraging.”

Dr Browning, served as Moderator of the General Assembly from 2017-18.

He described George as the noblest of colleagues and the finest of friends.

He added that he was also an aficionado of good malt whisky and among the safest pair of hands the General Assembly had known in the handling of many challenges. “How I miss him,” he said.

George was appointed Chaplain-inOrdinary to the Queen in 2017.

Very Rev Professor David Fergusson, Dean of the Chapel Royal, described him as a “distinguished servant of the Kirk”.

The Very Rev Professor Iain Torrance was Dean of the Chapel Royal at the time of Rev Cowie’s installation.

He noted that George was “one of the people I most trusted and admired in the church”.

The funeral service for Rev Cowie will take place at New Kilpatrick Parish Church in Bearsden on Wednesday.