David Stewart, founder of Broughty United FC and who had a long career on the railways, has died aged 95.
He began with London, Midland and Scottish Railway aged 18 and ended his career as general secretary of the Railway Staff Association of Scotland.
David and his wife Nora spent many years living in the Falkirk area where he was heavily involved in sport and church life.
He was born in Broughty Ferry where his father, David Bearn Stewart, was a baker with the firm Ingram. His mother, Annie Kennedy Nicoll, was a housewife.
In those days, Broughty Ferry was a community split between two rival groups of residents; Sandy Holers and Beachies.
David learned to speak what was known as Sandy Hole Gaelic, a language in which words were reversed to confuse the Beachies.
He attended Eastern Primary School and Grove Academy before leaving aged 14 to start work in the library.
National Service
After two years he began working with contractors for LMS before being called up for military service in 1944.
He served with The Royal Scots for two years and then Royal Army pay Corps for a further two years.
On demobilisation, David rejoined railways, working from the office at Tay Bridge Station in Dundee before transferring to Glasgow.
In 1953 he was the founder of Broughty United and also served as match secretary for the midlands area.
David and Nora made their home in Dunipace, Stirlingshire, and David commuted daily to Glasgow.
He had joined the RSAS club in Dundee in 1942 and in 1966 was appointed to the headquarters staff in charge of finance and property and the speech and drama festival,
David later worked in the welfare department and was competitions organiser before serving as general secretary for six years.
During his time living in the Falkirk area he played tennis, table tennis, golf and was depute chairman of the West of Scotland Amateur Football Association.
He was a qualified table tennis league and international umpire and the long-serving and oldest member in his Probus club.
David was predeceased by Nora in 2003 after 53 years of marriage but remained active as an elder at West Park Parish Church, Denny, and by baking shortbread and gingerbread for friends.
He was also known for making frequent trips to Kirriemuir, where his family had a connection to author JM Barrie, to buy Starry Rock to hand out to friends and neighbours.
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