Tragedy strikes on golden wedding day
Tributes have been paid to respected Cambuslang community stalwart David Thomson, who died suddenly on the day he should have been celebrating 50 years of marriage with his loving wife Kay.
David, 71, made a significant contribution to the town as past chairman of Cambuslang Community Council.
He was also chairman of the Cambuslang British Legion and founding member and past chairman of Cambuslang Remembrance Garden Group.
He died at home in Eastfield on July 31, leaving behind Kay, son Scott, daughter-in-law Lisa and granddaughters Abbi and Lily.
David was born in Priesthill and grew up in Castlemilk with his 11 siblings.
A former pupil of St Margaret Mary’s, he left school at the age of 16 and joined the Navy in 1965.
It was in 1968 that he met Kay and the couple were married in St Andrew’s Parish Church in 1970, setting up home in Westburn.
David joined Glasgow Corporation Buses, where he gained his bus driving licence.
He then moved to Clyde Bridge Steelworks, where he worked in security.
The majority of his working life was spent at Motorola in East Kilbride, where he worked in both security and in the plant for more than 20 years.
When Motorola closed in 2009 David worked for several years as a taxi driver.
Although he was committed to championing community causes, his greatest joy in life was spending time with the two granddaughters he adored: Abbi, 16, and eight-year-old Lily.
“He would have done anything for the two of them,” said Scott, 48.
“He was involved in all kinds of other things but his main focus was the two girls.
“He went to get Abbi from school most days. He’d just spoil her rotten and give her everything she was not meant to get. Most of all he was a kind, loving family man.”
John Bachtler, chairperson of Cambuslang community council, said: “David was a valued, well-respected colleague and dear friend and we are shocked and saddened at his sudden passing.
“He will be greatly missed and we send our sincere condolences to his family and friends.
“David played a major part in the work of the community council, having been a member for over a decade, and was a former vice-chair and chair.
“Under his chairmanship the community council made significant progress in its campaign to regenerate Cambuslang Main Street but David’s main contribution and legacy was to ensure commemoration of local members of the armed forces.”
Stewart Walker worked closely with David on several initiatives.
He said: “Having served in the Royal Navy, David was very active in many initiatives associated with supporting former members of the armed forces and remembering the fallen.
“He was a founding member and chair of the Royal British Legion Scotland Cambuslang branch, a founding member and the first chair of the Cambuslang Remembrance Garden Group, which opened in August 2018, and a member of the Royal Naval Association Glasgow branch.
“David campaigned for recognition of Mark Henderson, who died on HMS Glamorgan in the Falklands War, leading to the dedication of a memorial in Cambuslang Parish Church in June 2015.
“David also campaigned for the two holders of the Victoria Cross from Cambuslang, John Brown Hamilton and Hugh McIver, to be recognised in the town.
“In 2017 paving stones inscribed with the names of the two VC recipients were received and David was present when the name of Hugh McIver was added to the VC Memorial in Hamilton, along with John Brown Hamilton, in October 2018.”
The funeral cortege will leave from the family home in Burn Terrace, Eastfield, at 10.05am tomorrow, going on to South Lanarkshire Crematorium.
He was involved in all kinds of other things but most of all he was a kind, loving family man