Charles McMurray, one of the founding managers of Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, has died aged 85.
He studied medicine at St Andrews University before entering health service management and retained a passion for the NHS throughout his life.
Charles could also be described as a rugby fanatic.
He played for Howe of Fife in his youth, was a donor to the clubhouse extension and travelled Europe following the Scotland side.
Charles Robb McMurray was born in Cupar on August 13 1938, the only child of Robert and Georgina McMurray, who ran small businesses in Cupar after they were married and until they retired.
Robert (Bert) ran the tobacconist shop, RA McMurray, and Georgina (Georgie) ran the fancy goods shop next door in Lady Wynd.
School years
He went to Bell Baxter High School in Cupar where he showed a natural aptitude for science, and it was where he developed a talent for, and love of, rugby.
In his school holidays, Charles worked as a relief postman around the Howe of Fife, delivering to the local farms and villages where he was known as Carl, Bert’s Boy.
As the years progressed he played hooker for Howe of Fife during the late 1950s and early 1960s and never lost his love for the club or the sport.
After leaving school, he studied medicine at St Andrews University, where he met English Literature student Joan McKenzie at an event in the Students’ Union.
Marriage
It was love at first sight and they married shortly after leaving university.
Charles then embarked on his career in health service management and always retained a real passion for the NHS, with which he continued to be involved after he retired.
Although almost all of his working life was spent in Scotland, he started his career with a brief stint as a health services manager for the new Princess Margaret Hospital in Swindon, where, in 1967, his elder daughter Carole was born.
Charles, Joan and toddler Carole then moved to Dundee in 1969, just in time for the birth of their younger daughter, Linda.
Health service leader
For much of his career, Charles worked at Ninewells Hospital where as one of the founding managers he was responsible for hiring members of the original support team.
Latterly he was site manager at King’s Cross Hospital. At both hospitals he believed in management by walking about to allow him to connect with staff in all areas of operation.
He retired from the health service in 2000 but his commitment to the NHS did not wane and he remained an active volunteer on a number of committees, including in research and ethics, and pharmacies, and served on the patient liaison board at Westgate Health Centre, his local community GP practice.
Interests
For many years he was also a member of the Rotary Club of Claverhouse Dundee.
His daughter, Carole, said: “Our father was a lifelong Scottish rugby fanatic, travelling all over to support the national team, and even purchasing a Murrayfield debenture seat so that he was guaranteed a seat at internationals.
“When he wasn’t involved in these ventures, or in going to rugby matches, he enjoyed collecting Scottish silver, and loved nothing more than taking a drive down to Broughty Ferry with mum and sitting at the seafront eating a Visocchi’s ice cream, looking out over the Tay towards his beloved Fife.”
Charles is survived by Joan, Carole, Linda, and his granddaughters Daisy and Poppy.
You can read the family’s announcement here.
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