OBITUARY: John MacKenzie, Culkein, Drumbeg
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
John MacKenzie, Culkein, Drumbeg, has left behind an enormous legacy to Assynt, the community he loved so much.
He will go down in the history books as one of the three founding members of Assynt Crofters’ Trust, who steered through the groundbreaking buyout of North Lochinver Estate in 1993. The acquisition was a huge step forward in land reform in Scotland.
But he gave much to the community through the Church, his businesses and in many other fields.
John was born on February 3, 1937, to John MacKenzie and Mary Anne MacLeod. At the time the family were living at Polmont, where Mr MacKenzie senior worked as a prison officer.
Growing up, John and his brother Angus spent every summer with their mother Mary Anne at her family’s croft at Culkein.
Aged 16, John announced he had no intention of going to university, much to his mother’s chagrin, and signed up for a marine engineering apprenticeship at Yarrow’s Shipbuilders in Glasgow.
Determination and decisiveness were traits he would show throughout his life.
A committed Christian from an early age, he met his wife Catherine MacDonald, who died in 2020, at Duke Street Free Church, Glasgow. The couple were married just short of 60 years and had four daughters, Fiona, Catherine, Christina and Morven. The family later expanded to include six grandchildren.
John set up his own business manufacturing submersible pumps in 1962, employing more than 30 people.
But he suffered a horrific tragedy in December 1969 when his brother Angus, by then a detective constable, was killed in the line of duty. He never fully recovered from the loss.
Having been left the family croft, John relocated with his family to Culkein in 1977 and one of his first actions was to be involved in a Job Creation scheme to upgrade the local peat road, creating employment opportunities. He then set up a small engineering business which he ran for many years.
His most significant contract was landing the electrical work for the construction of the Kylesku Bridge in 1982 and he was justifiably proud of his involvement in this iconic piece of civil engineering.
After securing a contract to deliver electrical work for a fish farming company, he decided to establish his own salmon fish farm in which he designed and fabricated the fish pens.
John’s business and legal skills served him in good stead when Assynt Crofter’ Trust was established. But he spent “seven lonely years” when he faced huge opposition in his bid to develop a hydro power scheme to ensure a regular cash flow for the Trust.
On March 18 this year, just before he died, his certainty in the hydro scheme was vindicated when he co-signed a £100,000 cheque to bestow on the Trust from proceeds generated by the scheme.
The eulogy to John given by his family, stated: “We doubt that many people know or recognise the sacrifices he willingly made for the benefit of this community or the legacy he left behind.
“It is extremely difficult to convey the magnitude of his achievements and the unwavering dedication he gave to the community and to the local and wider Church.
“He lived an abundant life and used his skills and attributes to the fullest. He never did anything for gain or glory.
“He was hugely principled with integrity at his core. He had an amazing intellect, enormous knowledge, immense skills, boundless energy and an unquenchable enthusiasm, but above all, an unshakeable faith.”
