Angus engineering entrepreneur and landowner Jeff Sanderson has passed away after a long illness.
Mr Sanderson was born in Rishton, Lancashire, in 1948, the fifth youngest of four brothers and twins.
Educated in Blackford, Mr Sanderson served his mechanical engineering apprenticeship at British Northrop Engineering and was quickly promoted to foreman.
In 1976 he moved to Scotland to take up a post with Reekie Engineering in Forfar as a production engineering manager, but steadily progressed to general manager and finally managing director.
An innovative and accomplished engineer, he is credited with the invention of agricultural machinery including the Reekie stone separator and the Reekie potato harvester.
Over the next 25 years, he travelled extensively in the USA and Europe generating orders and significantly expanding the business.
A keen field sportsman, Mr Sanderson, along with businessman Brian Smith, purchased the 850 acre Finavon Hill Estate by Forfar, and the land was transformed from a rabbit and weed infested property into a thriving business, which includes a specialist pheasant rearing operation.
The estate is popular with the international shooting community, and regularly attracts parties from all over the world, particularly Ireland and Italy.
As someone who enjoyed the ‘simple things in life’ Mr Sanderson enjoyed walking his dogs, and taking his daughter Shaina who was born in 1996, and son Grant, born in 1998 for days out at museums and parks, as well as visiting Arbroath for fish and chips.
He regularly attended agricultural and game shows, especially the Angus show and the Royal Highland Show, always taking Shaina and Grant.
A well-known animal lover, he came across a dog which had fallen into a hole and become trapped.
After spending all night helping to dig the stricken animal out, his efforts were recognised by the RSPCA in 1984 who presented him with a medal.
As well as dogs, Mr Sanderson also enjoyed keeping a number of animals, including peacocks, ferrets and chickens.
