Tributes to Troon stalwart
There was little in Troon that Malcolm McKinlay didn’t take an interest in.
S o m e o f t h e organisations he actually ran.
Possibly his greatest legacy for the town is the nautical- themed seafront playpark which he helped secure £ 80,000 lottery funding for.
Malcolm John McKinlay died aged 80 on October 11 at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
He became immersed in Troon life and for a decade was a member of Troon Community Council, becoming chairman and taking a huge pride in looking after the town.
The electrical engineer had moved from County Durham to Troon 37 years ago. He effectively ran the Troon Town Twinning Association, even hosting a French family despite being gravely ill several weeks before he died.
He was also in the petanque club, art club and a perfectionist in his garden, particularly proud of the diagonal stripes on his lawn.
Jesica MacPherson, past president, of Troon Town Twinning, said Malcolm was instrumental in the organisation.
She said: “We were having difficulty getting a new president and he stepped in and agreed to do it.
“That lasted for years and years and years and is an onerous task.
“We had a group over from France a couple of weeks before his death and he insisted on hosting a couple and, despite being ill, also made the effort to get to the civic reception. He was a fighter.”
Former TCC chair Nan McFarlane said Malcolm’s tenure of around eight years involved a few big battles.
And she said: “Possibly his greatest legacy was the disabled- friendly playpark at the seafront which he secured lottery money for.
“And he was also a great ambassador for the town twinning and kept it going.
“As an Englishman he even went over to France for Burns nights.”
He was a Boy Scout in his youth and was a freemason for half a century. His connections with France opened up the sport of petanque.
The Troon Petanque Club’s Grahame Trantor said: “He represented Scotland on numerous occasions, the last being at this year’s Home Nations in Jersey.
“He was a true gent, a great loss and even through illness continued to support all activities in any way he could.”
Malcolm leaves his wife of 47 years Rosemary, children Karen, Paula, Alex and Ellen and five grandchildren.
Family friend Helen Auld, who delivered the eulogy at St Ninian’s Church in Troon, revealed Malcolm and Rosemary moved to the town in 1981.
And she said: “I think it’s safe to say that Troon has never been the same since.”
He was a true man for all seasons and his skills extended from wine making and dancing to photography and DIY.
When he discovered Facebook, his son Alex was so surprised he responded: “WTF!”
And Malcolm replied in a message: “I know what WTF means. It means Welcome to Facebook.”
In later life he battled mouth cancer and ultimately pancreatic cancer, refusing to give up until the last.