‘Much-loved’ priest John Duthie

The Rev John Duthie played many roles within the northeast community he called home. A “much-loved and respected” priest, Mr Duthie – who has died at the age of 81 after a short illness – was also a councillor and talented musician.

Best known for his years of ser vice to churches across the Buchan area during his later life, Mr Duthie’s first connection to the church came when, as a talented pianist and singer, he brought in a wage playing the organ in his local churches and at Peterhead Prison.

He was to enjoy a varied career before being ordained as a priest in 2005.

After spending the war years evacuated to his grandparents ’ croft , education followed at Peterhead Academy and upon leaving school in 1954 Mr Duthie became an apprentice electrician in the family business.

He undertook national service as a radar technician with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers between 1959 and 1961 in Malta, where he was baptised at the Valetta Cathedral and at the same time became a poster boy for the British Army’ s recruitment campaign.

Returning home to the north east, he resumed work with Dut hies Electrical and married Gwen in March 1963 before the couple had daughter Jan and son Christopher.

He made the move offshore in 1968 and spent time working in the North Sea, Holland, Atlanta, New Orleans and Finland.

In the 1970s, Mr Duthie served on Peterhead Town Council. He was also a member of the Round Table and Haddo House Choral Society.

Mr and Mrs Duthie later ran the Windmill Hotel in Peterhead, then running it as Abbotswell Gate home until they retired to Pennnan in 1995.

Mr Duthie held the post of harbour master there before the couple retired properly to Inchmarlo, Banchory, where they ran the nearby National Trust for Scotland tearoom at Crathes Castle.

It was decades after his long association with the Christian Church began, as a young organist, that Mr Duthie turned his heart to preaching.

His daughter Jan Brown said: “My father’s faith was always a constant in his life, and when he retired, he first became a lay preacher before becoming fully ordained. He was so proud and felt extremely privileged to have married his two grandchildren.”

Mr Duthie was made an ordained priest in 2005. He began ministry as curate at St John’s Crown Terrace, Aberdeen, and after two years there was placed in various parishes in the north east.

He became priest- incharge at St Drostan’s Insch in 2008 and rector one year later. In 2013 he became honorary assistant priest at St Margaret’s Gallowgate, Aberdeen, at the same time leading ser vices at St Mary’s Cove Bay.

Mr Duthie is survived by his children and two grandchildren.

REMEMBERED: The Rev John Duthie has died aged 81.