John, beloved Husband of Jean; Dad to Allister, Douglas, Dot and Susie and Grumps to Katie, Hugo, Angus, Harry, Callum and Talia, sadly passed away on Sunday the 28th June, having fought hard to stay with us. Having left sunny Leith in his early 20's he spent the rest of his adult life, living and travelling in various parts of the world, in particular South America, where they made lifelong friends.
He was a congenial host at their many parties, loved fine dining and he wasn't afraid to try weird local delicacies, in particular anything 'Offaly', and fancied himself as a wine connoisseur. He was always to be found reading a newspaper or doing a variety of puzzles. He occasionally played golf if it was sunny! He could often be found playing backgammon with a cigar and port in hand into the wee hours of the morning after a get together with close friends or his sons.
Dad loved listening to music, his favourite pieces were always played very loudly and he would sing along or pretend to be the conductor. He enjoyed and was a good dancer and loved nothing more than leading Mum around the dance floor, be it to a Tango, a Waltz, or some modern noise!
As Grumps, he loved to spoil his six Grandchildren, by being a ready supplier of Jammy Dodgers and chocolate. His study was a favourite place for them to find an assortment of exciting toys.
He was always a good listener when necessary but enjoyed a good joke and was often to be found stirring and teasing. We will miss him greatly.
If you would like to make a donation in his memory we have chosen the British Liver Trust. It is the only national charity working to reduce the impact of liver disease in the UK by doing valuable research.
Liver disease is the only one of the five big killers on the rise; the British Liver Trust is calling for greater awareness of the three key life-style risks associated with developing liver disease - alcohol, viral hepatitis and obesity.
“Liver disease is often preventable,” says Imogen Shillito, Director of Information and Education at the Trust, “but because it is a silent killer with no symptoms it is frequently at an advanced stage before being diagnosed. Men are renowned for avoiding visits to their GPs, but a conversation about risk factors together with a simple blood test can pick up any warning signs of liver damage."
