The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)

Deacon Blue star Ricky pays tribute to mother

Singer recalls Dundonian Catherine’s faith and early musical influence

- ALAN RICHARDSON arichardso­n@thecourier.co.uk

Deacon Blue frontman Ricky Ross has paid loving tribute to his mother, who has died aged 92.

Catherine Ross lived latterly in Glasgow and Kilmarnock but Ricky said she was very much a native Dundonian, who lived and worked in the city most of her life.

She was educated at Harris Academy and trained as a primary teacher, going on to teach at Downfield, Clepington and Ricky’s own school, Forthill Primary.

He said: “I witnessed first hand her popularity.

“At the end of any given session our sideboard would be weighed down by tokens of thanks brought in by grateful students and parents.

“She loved coaching a winning netball team and, although she wouldn’t admit to any deep interest in drama, her pupils’ school plays were always envied by those of us in the other classes.”

Ricky said his mother’s Christian faith was central to her life.

“It underpinne­d everything she embarked upon and outside of school her life was given over to supporting the work of her church community at

Hillbank Gospel hall – now Evangelica­l Church.

“Her own family had a long tradition of missionary service.

“Her uncle James Ford had died aged 28 serving in Venezuela and she herself had been drawn to mission service.

“However, it was her eldest sister Margaret and her brother Jim who ended up as missionari­es, in Tanzania and Zambia respective­ly.

“My mother’s role was to serve and support at home.”

Catherine married William Ross in 1953 and Ricky said his parents’ homes in Downie Park and later Fairfield Road in West Ferry “became the hub for family furloughs”.

“On a weekly basis my mother entertaine­d visiting preachers and wives, travelling evangelist­s and hosted regular gatherings of young people from the church.

“More than anything else I associated hearing their singing around the piano on Sunday evenings as the biggest musical influence of my life.”

He added: “In retirement and as a relatively young widow, she revelled in life as a grandmothe­r to

“On a weekly basis my mother entertaine­d visiting preachers and wives, travelling evangelist­s and hosted regular gatherings

seven grandchild­ren and two greatgrand­children.

“She developed special bonds with each of them and managed to attend nearly all their graduation ceremonies.

“She lived a full life and made all of us laugh at how she spent time looking out for some of the ‘old ladies’ around the church who were often a good decade younger but less able.

“Receiving news of terminal cancer a year ago, she refused to be concerned and declared ‘I am not afraid, I know where I am going and I know where my friends are’.

“Her defining characteri­stic was gratitude and on her final day, struggling with pain, she asked for our warm hands to comfort her. ‘God is good,’ she declared.”

He added: “My sister Anne and I will always be deeply grateful for the care and attention of a very special group of nursing staff at University Hospital Crosshouse, in Kilmarnock, for the extraordin­ary concern they extended to my mother and all her family in the last weeks of her life.”

 ??  ?? Ricky Ross with his mother Catherine, who had worked as a teacher at Downfield, Clepington and Forthill primary schools.
Ricky Ross with his mother Catherine, who had worked as a teacher at Downfield, Clepington and Forthill primary schools.

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