Francis ‘Frank’ McManus, former postgraduate dean of Dundee dental school and eldest son of former Lord Provost Maurice McManus, has died aged 90.
Born and raised in the Hilltown area of Dundee, he was one of five children growing up in a two room tenement.
His father worked as an electrical engineering before serving as the Lord Provost of Dundee in the 1960s, and his mother was a weaver in a city jute mill.
The Albert Institute for Literature, Science and Art at Meadowside in Dundee was renamed The McManus in 1984 after Frank’s father.
Frank was educated at Lawside Academy before going on to study dentistry at St Andrews University.
During his time in St Andrews, Frank became active in student politics and was a student representative for the British Dental Association (BDA).
And his trips around the country as student BDA representative in the 1950s ignited a lifetime interest in both medical politics and travel.
Following graduation, he worked as a dental surgeon in Edinburgh where he met his future wife Kathleen, who was working as secondary school English teacher.
They would go on to spend 66 years together.
In 1960, Frank was posted to Cyprus on an unaccompanied twelve month RAF National Service post.
But unable to bear the prospect of being separated from his wife and daughter, he set off for Cyprus in the car with them – not telling Kathleen this was an unaccompanied post.
He figured that no-one would bother to send them home once there, which was correct, and they spent 12 happy months living in the Greek section of Nicosia.
After further RAF postings in the north east of England they returned to Dundee where Frank worked as a general dental practitioner running a practice in the city centre.
Frank then moved to the prosthetics department in Dundee University dental school where he worked until retiring aged 69.
During this time, he was heavily involved in student education and development of the undergraduate course and became postgraduate dean.
He was also a strong campaigner for it to remain open when threatened with closure in the late 1980s.
This campaign was ultimately successful and Edinburgh dental school was closed instead.
Throughout his life, Frank was active in politics and stood as a Labour candidate in the 1966 General Election.
He also organised the local Scotland in Europe campaign in 1975 and for many years a Scottish representative for the British Dental Association.
In retirement he enjoyed spending more time with Kathleen and his grandchildren and exploring new cities and cultures travelling round Lithuania and Poland well into his 80’s.
He is survived by his wife Kathleen, daughters Michelle, Eileen, Siobhan and Marcelle, and seven grandchildren.
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