Ian Tosh, former toolsetter, senior shop steward and pension trustee at NCR has died aged 90.
He spent more than half a century with the firm and was involved in pension negotiations prior to the takeover by AT&T.
A hardworking man of integrity, he did not have one day off sick in his 50 years with the firm.
Ian, a devoted family man, had been a skilful junior footballer and went on to coach Carnoustie Panmure. In later life Ian become an accomplished bowler.
He started work with NCR in 1946 in the Kilspindie factory before working from Gourdie, and retired in 1996.
Born John Tosh on April 3 1931, he was the fourth child of John Tosh, a former mounted policeman in Dundee, and his wife Amy.
The family home was in Lyon Street but they moved to 25 Sutherland Street as the family expanded to include Ian and his siblings: Jean, Arch, Jim, Gordon and Douglas.
His was a close family and the strong bond they had for one another endured throughout their lives.
Education
Ian attended Ancrum Primary School and Logie Secondary School
At the start of the Second World War, Ian was evacuated to Edzell and Glen Lethnot to stay with relatives and it was here he developed his love of the hills and glens.
The family home was always filled with music. John Tosh Sr, who played the accordion, had close links with Jimmy Shand, who also lived in the street.
Culture
Ian’s father was a popular speaker on the Burns Supper circuit and Ian inherited his love of both music and the work of Robert Burns.
After his two and a half years’ National Service in the army, Ian returned to work at NCR which he combined with playing football at a high level and supporting local teams.
Ian and his brothers, Doug and Gordon, played for various junior sides throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Doug went on to play for Arbroath while Gordon played for both Dundee FC and Dundee United.
As a defender with Carnoustie Panmure, Ian would train twice a week, play on a Saturday and put in extra practice on his days off.
Training
He later became club coach and would put his players through strenuous sessions on the sands at Carnoustie.
Ian and his wife Sheila first met as children. They then met again at the JM Ballroom in central Dundee and started courting. Sheila was the PA for the director of the Scottish Crop Research Institute at Invergowrie.
They married at St Mary’s Church in July 1960 and set up home in Longforgan before settling in Kingoodie with their family of three young children.
Changes
At work he embraced the changing technology brought about by digitisation, witnessed the advent of ATMs and represented his colleagues as a shop steward and trustee.
Each day he cycled the 10 miles to and from work, and found time to establish himself as singer on Dundee’s traditional music circuit, where he performed alongside family friend Margaret Anderson.
He hosted countless Burns Suppers, including the annual NCR event, sang at Caird Hall, Whitehall Theatre and at the summer Highland nights in Pitlochry, where he appeared a number of times with Jimmy Shand Jr at Hogmanay celebrations.
Hobbies
In retirement, bowling, hillwalking and gardening were Ian’s main pastimes.
Both Ian and Sheila were members of NCR Hillwalking Club and spent many happy weekends climbing Munros.
Ian continued gardening well into his 80s and over the years crafted an overgrown plot into his secret garden where he would while away many happy hours enjoying the spectacular sunsets over the Tay.
Ian began to develop dementia in 2015 and in early 2019 moved to live at Tigh Na Muirn Care Home in Monifieth where he was an active and popular resident.
His daughter Elaine said: “Music endured and he continued to reach the high notes right up until the end, entertaining nursing staff and residents alike.
“He was a man of integrity. In the words of Rabbie Burns, ‘The Honest Man tho a’er sae poor is king o’ men for a’ that’.
His funeral is at Dundee crematorium on Friday January 28. You can read the family’s announcement here.