Alastair Gordon Thomson, a former director of DC Thomson & Co Ltd in Dundee, has died at the age of 82.
Mr Thomson was the elder son of the late Sidney and Madge Thomson. He was born at the then family home in Broughty Ferry on November 5 1929.
He was educated at Cargilfield and Merchiston Castle Schools in Edinburgh and carried out his National Service with the Royal Artillery from 1948, based for much of the time in Dortmund with the British Army of the Rhine.
Mr Thomson joined the family firm in March 1950 and was closely involved in all aspects of the company.
He served in a number of capacities and took particular interest in the management of technical and production departments.
He travelled extensively to Europe, the United States and Japan to help the company benefit from the latest developments and techniques in the printing industry.
Mr Thomson was appointed a director of the company in 1974 and held the position for 30 years. He had completed 54 years’ service with the firm on his retiral in July 2004. He also served on the board of a number of companies related to DC Thomson and was governor of Pitlochry Festival Theatre for more than 30 years. Mr Thomson stepped down from the theatre’s governing body in 2005 but maintained a keen interest in the theatre and was a regular attender.
He also enjoyed going to operas at Verona and to concerts of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
In his spare time Mr Thomson enjoyed a wide variety of interests, including gardening. He frequently went hillwalking and ski-ing and was a life member of The Dundee Ski Club, regularly visiting European ski resorts. He was a keen supporter of the Strathspey Railway Preservation Society and had a lifelong interest in motoring and cars.
A favourite holiday spot was the Isle of Arran, which he visited regularly.
Mr Thomson married Margaret in 1957 and they had sons Fraser and Blair and daughter Morag. After his first wife died in 2003, he married Gwendiline. He is also survived by his five grandchildren.