Ian Crawford, one of the most senior officials in the former Tayside Regional Council, has died aged 92.
He rose to become assistant director of water services after a career as a civil engineer in local authorities in Dundee and Fife.
Ian had left school at 14 to work in Dundee gas works but then spent five years at night classes to qualify as a civil engineer, becoming a Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers.
He was born in Dundee in 1931 to George Crawford and his wife, Margaret, and grew up in Pitfour Street together with his brother David and sisters, May and Helen.
Boys’ Brigade
During his years at Logie primary and then junior secondary, Ian was a member of The Boys’ Brigade at Balgay Curch.
He was just eight when the Second World War broke out and was evacuated to a small holding at Tealing owned by his wider family. He helped work on the farm but returned frequently to visit his immediate family in Dundee.
When he left school aged 14 he began work as an apprentice sheet-metal worker at the gas works in Dock Street.
Apprenticeship
Once he had completed his four-year apprenticeship, Ian enrolled at Dundee Technical College where, three nights a week over five years, he studied mechanical then civil engineering and qualified in 1958.
He met his future wife, Doreen Cowan, at Scottish country dancing at Balgay Church where they went on to marry in 1956. They had two daughters, Audrey and Moira, and in time, grandchildren Jenny, Graeme and Jack, and great-grandchildren, Aila and Harris.
In their younger years, Ian and Doreen were dedicated cyclists and toured the length and breadth of Scotland, stopping at youth hostels on the way. He was a member of the Strathmore Cycling Club.
The couple began married life at Adam Place, 208 Strathmartine Road, an entire tenement owned by the Calder family and occupied by several generations of the family.
With his qualifications in place, Ian began work at the former Dundee Corporation as a water distribution engineer on reservoir and piping projects such as Lintrathen and Backwater.
Move to Fife
In 1968, he took up a post with Fife and Kinross Water Board and the family relocated to Cupar the following year where they remained.
Ian was to return to work in Dundee after a few years and became part of Tayside Regional Council when the new authority was launched in 1975.
After being part of the senior team, Ian retired in 1993 and devoted time to playing golf at Cupar and Ladybank, gardening, reading and watching westerns.
Ian was a family man who enjoyed holidays and outings. He was very sociable and had a wide circle of friends with whom he shared interests and activities.
You can read the family’s announcement here.