Tributes have been paid to former Dundee nurse and “gentle giant” Richard Croft after he passed away at the age of 72 last month.
The loving father and grandfather grew up in Essex, but moved to Dundee to undertake a university degree, before raising his family in Angus.
Richard was born on the 20th March 1952 in Braintree.
He was the middle sibling of his family as the younger brother to Patrick and big brother to Joanna.
The family of five lived on Redlands Farm near Petworth, where Richard and his brother spent lots of time outdoors playing childhood games.
This encouraged his lifelong love of nature and the outdoors.
When he was nine the family then moved to a small holding Sidlesham.
This move provided him with plenty of opportunities to enjoy outdoor pursuits, such as canoeing.
He was initially educated at Broombank boarding school, but was happier to attend the grammar in Chichester when he reached secondary school age.
Richard’s sister Joanna remembers him as the “cool big brother”.
He would buy her little gifts, which she still treasures.
Even in his younger years, he was kind, gentle and thoughtful.
He also had a strong bond with his brother Patrick.
Together they spent a summer holiday in the Canadian plains in 1963 on their grandmother’s farm, fishing for catfish and building relationships with local farmers.
Back at home, Richard was a cool teenager, riding an old motor bike into school and often talking about the coming “revolution”.
His long, wavy hair gave him the impression of a “modern day viking”.
Richard was a keen football fan and was intellectually curious, enjoying an interest in art and music.
Academic studies led to Dundee move
In 1971 he moved to Dundee to study geography, but became fascinated by American politics.
This led to a 2:1 masters degree in American Studies and Richard then stayed on at Dundee University as a gardener for a few months.
His met his wife Christine at the Barnton Roundabout near Edinburgh during his studies.
They were both trying to catch a lift home to Dundee.
This led to their marriage in 1975 and they spent that summer hitch hiking through Ireland.
The couple then settled in a home just outside Dundee at Berryhill where they could embrace their love for the countryside.
A move to Errol then beckoned, where their first son Brendan was born.
This was followed by the births of Athelstan, and then twins Oswin and Rose.
The expansion of Richard’s family was aided by a move to a larger home in the scenic surroundings of the Banff Estate near Alyth.
However, school for his four children was on the horizon.
The family settled in Kirriemuir in 1987, where he and Christine lived for the next 30 years.
Nursing gave opportunity to help others
Richard started a nursing qualification in 1988, which he was awarded the gold medal for his year group upon completion.
Family members reflect that he was naturally an academic person, who always did well at school.
Nursing helped him fulfil a want to help others and to be hands on.
He found work at Ninewells Hospital and then as a community nurse.
These roles involved providing sensitive care to burn victims at Ninewells Hospital, where he often worked gruelling night shifts.
During his time in community nursing Richard helped HIV sufferers.
He was well known and liked – standing out at 6’4ft and with his distinctive English accent.
‘Life-long learner’
He was also a hands-on father, reading fantasy novels to his children and taking the family on peaceful holidays to Colonsay.
Other trips were spent camping in France and at Sandend in Aberdeenshire.
These were spent sea swimming, eating fish and chips, and playing beach cricket.
He was always supportive of his children’s wishes, supporting his three sons to join him on the Kirriemuir cricket team and his daughter Rose when she took up highland dancing.
All four children inherited his love for the outdoors, which was undoubtedly helped by family trips into the Angus glens.
After 10 years in nursing, he left the profession to take up a role in market research.
Throughout this time he fed his passion for art by drawing and painting in his spare time.
Richard’s children remember him for his adaptability to new hobbies and tasks.
He would immerse himself in something after becoming interested in it.
That could be learning the recorder, sheep shearing, roof tiling, or repairing the car.
He was a “life-long learner”.
Delighted to welcome four grandchildren into the world
In 2017 the family moved to Glasgow.
Richard was sadly diagnosed with frontal temporal dementia in 2019, leading to a physical decline that he accepted with grace.
And he was able to enjoy and celebrate the arrival of his granddaughters – Lydia, Margot, Imogen and Lily – before his illness worsened.
He was delighted to become a grandfather.
Richard was surrounded by family members when he passed away peacefully at the Almond View Care Home in Glasgow on Tuesday July 16.
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