Former Rosehall minister dies aged 103
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A former Church of Scotland minister, who served at Rosehall for more than ten years, died yesterday, aged 103.
RevTom Donn was recognised last year as the longest-ordained minister of the Church of Scotland since the Reformation, 450 years previously.
Rev Donn, who was ordained at Stornoway over 79 years ago, and spent his final years at Kingsmills Nursing Home, Inverness, achieved this remarkable distinction on 2 May.
On that date he broke the previous record set by the Rev Alexander Rae Grant, former minister of West Cults, Aberdeen, who was ordained on 20 November, 1923, and who died aged 104, on 7 August 2001.
A native of Govan, Glasgow, Mr Donn was educated at the city’s Bellahouston Academy, Glasgow University and Trinity College, Glasgow.
He was ordained and inducted on 14 March, 1932, to his first charge at Martin’s Memorial Church, in his mother’s native Stornoway, where he served until called to Rosehall, in November 1934.
In 1938 he married schoolteacher Barbara Mackay from Inverness, at the burgh’s Crown Church. Barbara was born at the Overscaig Hotel, overlooking Loch Shin, where her parents were tenants in her youth.
Before their marriage, she served at Melvich and Achlyness Schools.
Both their daughters, Fiona and Deirdre, were born during his incumbency at Rosehall, before the family moved to Strathspey in 1945, when Mr Donn received a call to the charge of Carrbridge and Duthil.
