Halloween in Rearquhar and Birichen used to be a lively place, with plenty of young guisers, and some not so young and lots of devilment done by some of us teenagers, including Donnie Dan who took a very active part, along with Sandy Fraser and myself, in taking trailers and carts, removing gates, tying people's doors and, if we could find a ladder lying around, putting divots on chimneys.

But this year's Halloween was particularly sad when word spread round the crofting community that David Matheson (nephew) had discovered Don had passed away in his chair at his home at Cnoc-na-moine.

Don was a great pal and had not a bad word to say about anybody, but unfortunately did not look after himself as he should, resulting in him being unable to walk any distance due to his legs failing over the last year or so.

Don unfortunately never got married and maybe if he had, things would have been different, instead of living on his own for many years since the deaths of his father and mother.

The irony of the whole situation is that recently Don had a cataract done on one eye and remarked to Billy More, who was very attentive to Don, taking him to Dornoch for his shopping etc, that he was having a new lease of life and felt a lot better in himself.

Don was saying to Billy that he was noticing all the cobwebs now with his new found vision. A week later, and the week after that, the cobwebs were still there, typical Don - "I'll do it tomorrow or next week" - but sadly there was no next week.

Don's funeral service was very ably conducted by Susan Brown in Dornoch Cathedral, to a well attended group of mourners from far and wide.

Susan had some great stories to relate about Don which amused the congregation at a very sad time.

I had the great honour to have been requested by the family to play "Naver Bay" and "The Lights of Lochindaal" on the pipes as a final farewell to Don at the grave-side as both of those songs were his favourites.

Don had an excellent singing voice and no New Year celebrations passed without him giving his word-perfect rendition of his favourite songs.

There was one story which I hoped Susan would tell, but due to Fif, Don's niece, thinking I had told Susan and me thinking Fif had told her, it was omitted from the service.

I was loading lambs at Cnoc-na-moine fanks, into a trailer, and had the old Dexta tractor to take them up to Poles Croft opposite Trentham Hotel. I had my collie, Tara, with me but could not take her on the Dexta, but never mind, I went up to Don's house and shut Tara in his old red Renault car (which he called Delorus) and went to the door to tell him.

I said to him that I had shut Tara in the car and the retort I got from Don, who had a fair jorum (dram) in him, was: "Are you off your head, Bee, how in the hell can you get a horse in a car."

He didn't know that I had a collie named Tara and I didn't know he was looking after a 15-hands high horse for Sue Seabourne, also called Tara!

This along with many more stories go down in our memoirs of a great friend and neighbour, also brother, brother-in-law, uncle and grand-uncle.

RIP Don, from your long term friend and neighbour, Willie Bee.

(Apologies for the late appearance of this obituary)