Dundee newsagent Alistair Johnston ‘loved the job and loved the people’

Dundee newsagent Alistair Johnston “whose job was his life” has died at the age of 76.

He went to work at Alexander Johnston & Sons in Camperdown Road, known locally as Sandy’s Newsagents, at the age of 15 and never left.

“My dad was a man whose job was his life,” said son Craig, 49, who, like his father, also left school to work in the shop.

“He loved the job and loved the people he met. He was still coming in to help behind the counter until this summer, when he was less physically able.

“After that I would take him the books for the shop and he would do them at home. The shop meant everything to him. He was there for 61 years.”

Mr Johnston, who did his national service with the Royal Navy, played in goal for Windsor Amateurs as a young man and after hanging up his gloves helped to run the team.

He enjoyed curling and was a member of the Baldovan club.

Mr Johnston is survived by wife Dorothy, Craig, younger son Neil, who is a police officer, and six grandchildren.

His funeral will be held at Dundee Crematorium on Thursday.