Former Angus GP and councillor Dr Richard Speirs has died at his home. He was 71.
Dr Speirs was born in Bolton and attended school in Barnsley, After his family moved to the Wirral when he was 11, he attended Caldy Grange Grammar School.
He enrolled at St Andrews University in 1961 to study medicine and continued his studies in Dundee. He married Caris Leslie at Dundee University chapel in 1968.
The couple had three children Nick, Julie and Mandy.
His first job was as a medical house officer at Stracathro Hospital and he later undertook a surgical house post at Arbroath Infirmary.
Dr Speirs became senior house officer in obstetrics and gynaecology at Torbay Hospital in Devon and then joined the paediatrics department at Dundee Royal Infirmary.
He worked at the Hilltown Medical Centre before taking over Dr Willie Christie’s practice in Arbroath in 1971.
Dr Speirs later joined up with Mike Ledson and Jim Inglis at the Abbey Health Centre, where he remained until his retirement in 2006.
He married for a second time in 1996 to Jennifer and lived at Woodville, near Arbroath.
As a Liberal Democrat councillor, he won a seat at the Tayside Regional Council elections in 1990. He was elected to the new Angus Council in 1995 and held the position until 2007.
In retirement he enjoyed golfing and was a member of Letham Grange and Carnoustie.
He was also a keen Munro walker, DIY enthusiast and artist and a doting grandfather and great-grandfather.