Former lollipop man Donald Crichton, who was known to generations of pupils at Oakbank School, Perth, has died aged 85.
He spent 25 years looking after the road safety of children at Oakbank after a year on lollipop supply at schools around Perth.
His earlier career was as a vat man at the John Dewar whisky plant in Perth and before that with vintners Peter Thomson.
A lifelong Rangers supporter, Donald witnessed the crush that led to the 1971 Ibrox disaster but he spoke little of that day.
Early years
He was born in October 1937 in Caputh to Tom Crichton and his wife Annie McDonald and grew up with six sisters and one brother.
His father was a ploughman so the family moved to farms around Perthshire.
During the family’s time living at Dalcrue, Donald attended Methven School.
Career begins
He left to begin work at Huntingtower bleachworks before joining Peter Thomson to work on wine and spirits deliveries to commercial premises.
His two years of National Service were spent with the Royal Pioneer Corps during the Suez Crisis.
In 1963, he met his future wife, Aileen, at a dance in Glencarse and they became engaged two years later.
The couple were married at St Leonard’s-in-the Fields Church, Perth, by minister Neil Moir in 1967.
They set up home in Ballantine Place before a move to Campsie Road, and, in the early 1980s, to Dunsinane Drive, Perth. The couple had twin boys, Mark and Kenneth.
Donald left Peter Thomson, which was based in King Edward Street, to join John Dewar at Inveralmond where he had a 25-year career until he was made redundant when the plant closed around 1994.
School role
It was then he took up a supply lollipop role at schools around Perth before securing the job at Oakbank where he remained for a quarter of a century.
His wife, Aileen, said: “He loved the job. He chatted to everyone and got to know generations of children and their families.
“When we were out and about he would often be stopped by grown men with beards and moustaches who would ask if Donald remembered them.
“It was hard to recognise them after these years but it was always nice that people took the time to speak.”
Christmas
In tandem with his career at Dewars and as a lollipop man, Donald worked as a barman at the Ex-Service Club in Perth and as a barman, then doorman at the Letham Club where he also played Santa at Christmas, often incorporating a dancing routine.
In his younger years, Donald had played football for Grandtully Amateurs and later for the John Dewar side.
He was a regular supporting Rangers at Ibrox and for his 80th birthday, his family took him to Glasgow to visit the pub run by former Rangers star Nacho Novo.
Aileen said: “When people realised it was his birthday they started to buy him drinks. And then Nacho walked in, started to chat and bought him a drink.
“Nacho also posed for a photograph and let Donald pull a pint behind the bar.”
In his leisure time, Donald enjoyed gardening, dancing, bowling and listening to traditional Scottish music and pipe bands.
You can read the family’s announcement here.