Bin lorries cortege for loved colleague Scott
Family and friends say farewell to popular 52-year-old
Council workers yesterday said a final goodbye to a muchloved colleague who died after contracting COVID-19.
Refuse collector Scott Hunter died on Monday, January 18 and was laid to rest at a private family funeral on Thursday.
The popular 52-year-old had worked at Crieff ’s North Forr depot for 27 years as a refuse collector and was also well-known as the licensee at the town’s Pretoria Bar.
And his workmates also paid tribute with a special cortege of bin lorries which went from his home town of Aucterarder to Crieff.
Scott’s family previously described him as “larger than life” and said he had borne his illness “with great dignity and bravery”.
He leaves behind wife Fiona as well as daughters Gayle and Laura.
An artistic tribute has also been created in memory of Scott.
The temporary mural has been creatortgored inside David Comrie and Son Butchers by Crieff artist Pedro.
Murray Lauchlan, owner of the butcher’s on Comrie’s Drummond Street, said: “I was shocked when I heard what happened to Scott. It was unbelievable at first and then the reality hit as word spread.
“Scott had been lifting our commercial waste for a number of years – he always had a smile, even on the coldest and darkest mornings.
“The lorry would arrive outside the shop and he’d pop in for a hot sausage roll, which was his favourite.”
Murray continued: “We’re closing for a refit on Saturday this week for one week. As part of this the internal walls have been stripped of all the posters, pictures, certificates and diplomas usually on display.
“The walls are to be taken down as part of the work and it occurred to me this provided a temporary blank canvass, so I contacted Pedro and asked if he might create a fitting tribute.”
“He came into the shop when we were closed on Sunday and used his imagination, skill and undoubted talent to create a tribute to one of Strathearn’s finest.
“It will be on display for this week. We have been asked if people can add messages in tribute to the wall, so we are providing single-use pens and labels which can be placed next to it.”
Pedro said he had known Scott for a number of years and previously created artwork for Crieff ’s Pretoria Bar, where the well-liked figure was the licensee.
He said: “Murray phoned me and said he thought it would be an idea to create a tribute to Scott because he was such a popular figure in the village – and in the whole area.
“I wanted to keep it simple, so it shows Scott in the lorry with one of his favourite sausage rolls and there’s a dove above the cabin. It’s only to be temporary but hopefully it’ll give people a place to pay tribute to Scott while it’s up.”