Born into a farming family at Winless, near Wick, in August 1917, George spent all his working life in the service of the Bank of Scotland, military service excepted.

He began his career in Thurso in 1933, but as a member of the Territorial Army he was called to the colours on the outbreak of World War II in 1939 and was first deployed on anti-aircraft service in Orkney.

In 1940, just before being posted to the Officer Corps Training Unit (OCTU), when he joined the Welsh Regiment, he married Halkirk native Alise Black, known affectionately to her friends as Pally, who was serving in communications with the WRNS at Ormlie Lodge, Thurso.

George was demobbed in 1946 with the rank of major and, although he remained in the TA for several years after the end of hostilities and enjoyed attending the summer camps, he resumed his bank service in Thurso.

In 1951 he was posted to Edinburgh where he served in two branches of the bank. In 1962 he was promoted to manager of the Aviemore branch and for two years, from 1967, he served in Shetland until he took over management of the Bonar Bridge branch in 1969. In the latter years of his bank service, management of the Dornoch branch was added to his charge.

Throughout his long life, wherever he was domiciled, George was a tireless worker for local organisations and local and national charities, serving mostly as treasurer. Bonar Bridge was no exception, and the many organisations where his conscientious service and wise counsel were deeply valued included Bonar Bridge/Ardgay Golf Club and Creich/Kincardine branch of the Royal British Legion Scotland.

Even in retirement away from the district, he and Pally continued their faithful membership of the branch and under the auspices of Creich Parish Ratepayers Association, while serving as treasurer, George initiated and convened the local flower and vegetable show.

He was also devoted to the Church of Scotland which meant so much to him. While in Edinburgh he was first an elder and later session clerk at West St Giles Church and, in retirement, he was an elder in the West Parish Church in Inverness.

After retiring in 1977 the couple lived for a time in Kendal, but the call of the north brought them back to Inverness where they happily resided at 37 Leachkin Avenue, and as long as he was fit George kept up his voluntary work with the National Trust for Scotland, the Abbeyfield Society and his church.

More recently the couple’s main pride and joy was keeping in touch with and following the lives of all members of their extended family.

George is survived by his wife Pally, daughters Carol and Marguerite, son Michael in New Zealand, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren to whom he was very deeply devoted and to whom much sympathy is extended in their loss.

The funeral service at his local church, Kinmylies, was followed by cremation in Inverness. JG

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