Village mourns John Matheson

THE DEATH of John Matheson, of 5 Camus an Arbhair, Plockton, at the Highland Hospice, Inverness, on June 12, cast a gloom over the village and saddened his many friends.

He was 79-years- old. He had been at the hospice for only three weeks after a long battle at home with cancer, which he endured with fortitude and good humour.

John was born in Plockton, the youngest son of Willie and Jessie Matheson, of 8 Harbour Street. He was a brilliant scholar at Plockton School and in 1955 he went to college in Paisley where he got his qualification in electrical engineering.

In 1960, he was appointed the first engineering assistant with the South of Scotland Electricity Board. In 1962, he went to Manchester for industrial training, before moving to Glasgow and then to Oban in 1964 as a distribution engineer. A few years later he was appointed distribution engineer in Dingwall and lived in Muir of Ord. He retired in 1992 and came back to live in Plockton.

John married June, a Plockton girl, on June 12, 1965. The day he died was their 52nd anniversary. They had three children, Jane, Douglas and Barbara.

In his younger days at Plockton, John enjoyed sailing, winning of the first Ragamuffin Cup with Angus Gillies. He also played football and golf.

John sang solo at the Mòd and also was a member of the Dingwall and the Strath Gaelic Choir. He was a member of the original Islander Folk Group along with Bert Stirling, John Tytler and Alick Aitken.

He also loved fishing and gardening and was a supporter of Hibs and Ross County.

He was a member of Plockton and District Community Council for a few years and also a regular attender at the Church of Scotland.

The church at Plockton was packed with more than 200 people at the funeral service conducted by the Rev Roddie Rankin, with organist Catherine Will. Piper Ruari Finlayson led the cortege and also played at the graveside at Balmacara Cemetery. The collection was donated to Macmillan Nurses and the Highland Hospice.

John was loved by young and old and Plockton is a poorer place with his passing.

Sympathy is expressed to June, son Douglas in Lairg, and daughters Jane (Mrs Stirling in Chester) and Barbara (Mrs McArthur in Inverness) and also to seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.