OAPs found at isle home both died af ter a fall

A PENSIONER couple whose bodies were found outside their island home both died of injuries suffered after falling, their death certificates have shown.

Donald Macmillan, 73, and his 67-year-old wife Morag were found dead near each other in the small village of Gravir, on the island of Lewis, last Friday morning.

Police have said there are no suspicious circumstances over their deaths, which appeared to be a tragic accident.

And as the pair were laid to rest together yesterday, it emerged that both had died after falling at the remote home they shared on the east coast of the island.

Mr Macmillan, the local sub postmaster, was said to have died from positional asphyxia – in which the way a person is sitting or lying prevents them from breathing properly – as well as a broken neck and spinal cord transection, or severing.

The certificate also states he died after a ‘domestic fall down stairs’ and was found at 8.20am.

The certificate for his wife Morag, also known as Maureen, states she was a widow when she died because her husband’s body was found ten minutes before hers. The home carer’s cause of death was given as a head injury following a fall in the garden.

The much loved couple were buried together yesterday – exactly a week after their bodies were discovered.

Mr Macmillan, who grew up in the village, had been the local postmaster for the past 50 years.

The Gravir post office was run out of his home – with his wife also helping out.

For nearly 100 years, the post office has been run by three generations of the Macmillan family.

The couple had no children and devoted much of their time to helping good causes in the local community.

Both were regular churchgoers at the nearby Gravir Free Church, where yesterday’s service took place. They were buried in the adjoining cemetery.

Rev Malcolm Macdonald – who led the funeral service – said: ‘It is a very sad time.

‘The community is shocked, but like many communities here they are resilient and will get on with things.

‘It is very difficult for relatives and neighbours – they were a devoted couple to each other.

‘They were well known and well liked, easy to get on with and involved in the community in many ways.

‘People are saddened by what has happened – accidental death takes many forms.’

‘They were a devoted couple’