The founder of a prominent Perthshire business has passed away following a long illness. He was 77.
James (Jim) Graham founded Graham Pest Control.
Born in Forfar, he was the son of a farmer from Angus.
They moved to Alyth where he attended school and then after studying at Dundee College, Jim moved to Glasgow where he took on an apprentice engineering job in the shipyards.
Five years later, he left to join the Merchant Navy and then had a couple of years as a prison officer before moving back to Perthshire and settling in Blairgowrie.
In 1964, Jim met the love of his life Anna McAndrew in the Dalrulzion Hotel, Glenshee.
They married a year later and celebrated their 53rd anniversary last September. The couple had four children, Jill, Louise, Ross and Stuart. Jim moved back to Glasgow and was successful in getting a job with Rentokil to become a pest control technician.
He spent 23 years with Rentokil, moving to the position of service manager for Scotland during his career.
After leaving the company following an illness, he started Graham Environmental Services in 1993, with the intention of having a small job to keep him going into his retirement.
Anna left the ambulance service to help with the administration side of the business.
Soon afterwards his sons Ross and then Stuart, who had just left the Royal Navy and The Black Watch, joined them.
The firm expanded into one of Scotland’s largest independent pest control companies, employing more than 50 people, most of them locally. The business diversified over the years, through customer demand.
Graham Hygiene Services and Graham Fire Protection were started, now employing a further 40 people.
Jim was immensely proud of his family business, his staff and very loyal customers.
His motto was “good service breeds good sales”.
Jim supported many charities over the years and this was made apparent when the company celebrated 25 years in business in 2018, raising £25,000, which was shared between CHAS, Scottish Huntington’s Association and Tayside Children’s Cancer Charity.
He is survived by his wife Anna, Jill, Louise, Ross and Stuart.
He was a devoted grandpa to his nine grandchildren and loving father-in-law to Callum, Fitzy, Tracey and June.
