The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Leslie McAndrew, former bank manager, aged 90
Leslie McAndrew, a bank manager in Cupar at a time when the business was underpinned by personal relationships, has died aged 90.
He began his banking career in Kirkcaldy in 1947, moved to the TSB in Cupar in 1963, became manager in 1976 and retired in 1989.
Leslie was also a Rotarian and received the movement’s Paul Fellows award, office bearer at Cupar Golf Club, and past president of Cupar Highland Games.
He was born in Coupar Angus to Robert McAndrew, whose family ran a businesses, and Anne Pearson of Springfield.
When Leslie was still young, the family moved to Fife, where they had lived before his birth, and Leslie was educated at Freuchie Primary and then Kirkcaldy High.
In 1945 his father died suddenly, leaving his mother with five boys to look after, so university was not an option for Leslie.
The loss of his father came after his eldest brother, Robert, was killed while serving with Coastal Command in Northern Ireland during the Second World War.
After leaving school, Leslie joined Kirkcaldy and District Trustee Savings Bank.
Between 1949 and 1951 his National Service was spent with the RAF in England, including a spell looking after the accounts of Oxford University’s air squadron.
In 1953 Leslie, then aged 21, was chosen as the Lang Toun Lad to lead Kirkcaldy’s annual youth pageant, which, at the time, was considered quite an honour.
He had been nominated by St John’s Church Youth Fellowship. The Lang Toun Lass that year was Janis Trotter.
After resuming his banking career, Leslie met his future wife Therina (Catherine) whose family farmed at Carberry, on the outskirts of Kirkcaldy.
The couple married in 1961 and, in 1964 moved to a newly built house near Cupar Golf Club, which was to remain the family home.
They went on to have two children, John, a solicitor, and Leslie junior, a senior partner with Graham and Sibbald in Edinburgh.
Leslie had started at the TSB in Cupar as a trainee accountant in 1963 and was appointed manager 13 years later.
He was predeceased by Therina in 1988 and retired the following year.
Leslie is survived by his children, daughters-in-law Mavis and Lorraine and grandchildren Caitlin, Conor, Murdo, Patrick and Jorja.