The Fergie MacDonald e-book of condolences

[Julie Graham]

I first met Fergie at a MCC curry nite, my first curry in Glasgow in 1991 I had never seen anyone eat so much (3 full plates of starters plus several main courses!) He was invited to our evening wedding reception and I remember how he made the effort to come in his kilt (one of his better outfits) One time Donald had taken two of our friends to Ibrox and we made arrangements to meet in the Horsehoe Bar after the game. While I waited alone with no-one to talk to, up pops Fergie all smiles,buys me a drink and keeps me company until Donald & Co arrive. I don't think we'll ever come across the likes of him again, a true gentleman, passionate and humerous, gentle and kind, an example to all. My heartfelt sympathy goes to Jaynie, Shona and Angus who have lost a husband and father and to all who had the honour of knowing him. We have lost a very dear friend.

[Allan Rodger]

Fergie was my best friend, a brillaint guy who was a great and loyal friend. I, like so many, am totally devastated by his untimely death. Fergie was hugely popular and a larger than life person. He was an extremely funny guy and a great practical joker as I found out to my cost on numerous occassions. I have so many stories to tell that I would need to write a book to tell them all.
I have been great friends with Fergie ever since he moved to Troon and particularly after the untimely death of another great friend of hours, Bid Bob Paton, who died ten years ago.
Fergie was always there to help when needed, someone I could trust and totally confide in and know that he would tell no one, a total and utterly reliable friend.
I used to see Fergie so often that Janie used to say that she thought I was married to Fergie as well !!
Fergie's sad loss is going to create a huge void, not only in my life, but in the life of so many other people.
At least you are going to be with Big Bob and no doubt enjoying a few whiskies and having a good laugh just like old times.
My thoughts are with Janie, Shone and Angus and I shall always remember you Fergie.
Thank you for being my friend.

- Allan

ps Mine is a pint of Morretti when I next meet you both

[Bill Bankie Abraham]

I worked with Fergie for a couple of years at the Mutual from 1984 - 1986. At that time he was kidding on he was a Clyde fan and I attended a few games at Shawfield with him , Andy and the Bully Wee gang. Of course his real love was for the Teds and given that my old man was a Bear that kidded on he was a Bankie - him and Fergie hit it off.

Remember one game in particular - April 12th 1986. Met Fergie and Stuarty in the "Orange" Peel in Drumchapel for a beer before the Bankies played Rangers in the Premier League ( yes we were a decent team then ). Fergie was never slow to pull your leg and given our league position before the game ( and after really ) he was none too forgiving of what he saw as my misplaced optimism. Not after 27 minutes when the 2nd Bankies goal went in ... Although the Gers pulled a goal back - the day was always the Bankies' but Fergie was pretty generous in defeat.

I also have Gus to thank for introducing me to Jethro Tull - which he stuck on the spare side of a Led Zeppelin recording ... as well as some Scottish country dance music ... this was in thanks for helping him and Janey move from Burnside to Old Drumchapel. I'dve done it for nuthin pal

The guys that have already spoke affectionately about him - some of whom knew him so much better than me - have got it right. To a young guy like me ( I was 18 and very wet behind the ears ) Fergie was a source of common sense ( aye right ) and occasionaly a word to the wise. A good guy and a real family man . I enjoyed spending time in his gruff - but very real company.

To some of the others on here - Dot, Donald ... hullo its nice to see you speak so warmly about one of the good guys.

Fergie , I don't remember you looking as fit and as happy as in some of these photos ... still larger than life and with so much to offer to the world. Sincere condolencies to Janey and his family - I hope it is of some comfort that so many people obviously thought the world of him. You get out of life what you put in ... and Fergie got more than his fair share.

R.I.P. Big man

Bill

[Tracey S]

I also remember Fergie from my first days with Scottish Mutual when Fergie arrived to welcome the "new starts".

From that day on that was it, you didn't need to be introduced to Fergie twice.

A wonderful guy who has left so many people with so many fond memories.

Simply the Best x

[Gerry Debbie Cosker]

We were both greatly saddened to hear of the untimely passing of Fergie.
We both had the privilege to work with Fergie for a number of years and the one thing that you could guarantee when you saw him was that he would make you smile. Fergie was the heartbeat of the office when he worked in Scottish Mutual/Abbey and was loved by all of his colleagues.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and we hope they find strength in the knowledge that he brightened up the lives of so many people.

You'll be sorely missed Fergie - Rest in Peace.

[Kevin Mitchell]

Had the pleasure of meeting Fergie through working in the Galleon Gym. He would often come in and knock his pan in on the rowing machine. You are missed, big man. Hope you remembered to pack those Union Jack shorts of yours before you go upstairs. See you again some day.

[Drew W]

Where do you start to remember Fergie? I've known him for 19 years - as long as I've been in Troon. Possibly saw him more in Glasgow - on the train, at the football or in the pub - but he was always the same Fergie.

Six weeks ago - Saturday afternoon and I'm seriously losing the rag on the phone with the guy from the bank invading my privacy about my mortgage - and its Fergie wanting to know if I could go to a Smoker that night! He had me hook line and sinker - and not for the first time.


The rest of the time - well as others have mentioned getting off trains at the wrong stop - with Janie to the rescue; the two course lunch at the Horseshoe Bar with main course and dessert on the same plate at the same time; organising five a sides on a pouring wet Thursday night; the TV appearance during the Open Golf with the running gear on - but always the same Fergie.

Words cannot describe how I felt when Allan told me what had happened - nor what Janie, Shona and Angus must be feeling just now - our thoughts are with them now and always.

God Bless You Big Stuff - Rest In Peace.
D.

[Ken MacRae]

We were about 5 years of age when Fergie & I first met so I've had a flood of memories over the last few days.
I remember when he had a mop of fair hair & was a Clyde fan. In fact at the BBC(Burnside Boys Club) meetings he regularly arranged, he used to shuffle uncomfortably when we reminded him that before Clyde he actually supported another Glasgow team from the East End of the city..but we knew that nobody would believe that.
I remember the games of football in Safeway car park, the frames of snooker at Reardons & the epic golf matches with Brian & Al.
I remember getting a phone call at 11o'clock on a Friday night signing me up for a game of 5-a-side football at 9am the following day - & I'm still playing 26 years later. Fergie even turned up one Saturday morning with a replacement crossbar.
I remember being with him when he got the news that his mother had died & his father too a few years later;and that he took the trouble to visit my mother in hospital - even though they spent the time talking about Rangers.
Most of all I'll remember Fergie as a true friend - always ready for a laugh & some banter but supportive in bad times & genuinely pleased for any achievment. So many of the people I know & so many parts of my life have links to Fergie, there will be a void that will never be filled.
And any time I think about him there will be a smile on my face but a tear in my eye that we lost a great guy long before his time.
My thoughts are with Jaynie, Shona & Angus.

[Sharon Watson]

Like everyone else I have so many fond memories of Fergie.

Like others, I too was often on the end of his "angry foreign customer" pranks!! They made me laugh every single time!!!

You always saw Fergie the same way - a huge big smile on his face and a passing comment for everyone!! It was a pleasure to know such a great man. He was "Simply the Best" and will be sadly missed.

My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

[petercarr]

Met Fergie through SMA/Abbey....when he found out I was 'tic fan he couldn't resist having as they say a "bit of craic"....when I took up running/racing couldn't believe it when saw this guy with those shorts!!! ... And then clocked who it was..... yeh who else but the Inimitable Fergie in the Union Jack shorts..


When heard about his passing ....like many had sadness but also a smile for fond memories of a good guy.... Condolences to his family and friends although can't be there on Wednesday ...my thoughts will be...

[suec1]

Fergie was a great friend and colleague to me over the past 12 years or so and will be sadly missed. His help when I spent several months in Glasgow was invaluable and he even took me to my one and only rangers match. My thoughts are with his family at this sad time and I hope they can at least take some comfort from the very high regard in which he was held. Slainthe.

[Karen Pickerill]

I worked at Scottish Mutual at the Leeds Branch and over the 20 odd years of working there met Fergie quite a few times on my jaunts to Glasgow. Like Steph said in an earlier reply you always knew it was him whenever he rang the office. He was an absolute joy to go out with for a drink and always made any newcomers to Glasgow feel welcome.

Fergie was one of those characters that even if you had only met him once then you would remember him for a lifetime.

He will be so sadly missed, my condolences to his family.

[David Roberts Dai]

What a fantastic guy - it was a privelege to be one of his friends.
Knew him from supporting Clyde at Shawfield , helped me when I moved to my flat in Shawlands - and so many memories and stories . I too fell for his phone call scams when he pretended to be anyone rather than himself !!

What a loss he will be to all his countless friends.

[MaryAlison Ross]

I was most saddened to hear of Fergies sudden death.
As with many other I had the pleasure of working with him at Scottish Mutual/Abbey National.
His passing marks the end for a true office "character" , well loved and very popular , always cheery and upbeat

My thoughts are with Janie, Shona & Angus at this sad time.

Mary-Aliosn

[Tim Downie]

Two more photographs to enjoy.

[Fraser Grant]

I was shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of Fergie.

I met Fergie through Scottish Mutual and was privileged to work alongside him. He enjoyed nothing more than to make people happy and would think nothing of going out of his way to do so.

He will be sadly missed and my thoughts and sympathies are for his wife, family and relatives.

These are words that Burn’s used for the passing of one of his friends. He must have known someone like Fergie.

The friend of man, the friend of truth
The friend of age, and guide of youth,
If there’s another world, he lives in bliss,
If there’s none, he made the best of this.

[Tim Downie]

Fergie,

I don't know if they have the internet where you are, but working on the assumption that you can have whatever you like where you've gone, I'm going to guess that you've got a decent broadband connection. If you've only got dial-up or worse still, AOL, I fear you may have gone to the "other place" (and I don't mean Parkhead) . ;D

You're probably wondering why I'm writing to you when we didn't really know each other that well, what with me living in Ayr, you in Troon and me not being a football fan. Well, after all the messages that have been left for you, I wish I had known you a lot better so this is a kind of "better late than never" letter.

You left us in a bit of a rush, no doubt as big a surprise to you as it was to us. I know you're thinking "But I'm not ready!" but then, neither were we. You gave us a hell of a shock going off like that and we're all struggling to come to terms with the fact that you're not here. When you do it like that it's hard to find any comforting thoughts to cheer ourselves with but having got over the initial shock, I'm beginning to think that there are worse things than leaving us the way you did.

For a start, I don't think old age is all it's cracked up to be (although you have to smile at George Burns's famous riposte "It's better than the alternative"). You'll never have to suffer the indignity of cancer, heart disease or alzheimers. Never have to be helped with the most basic of human functions, never have to worry about losing that fine figure of yours. ;D

Yes, you were certainly short-changed in terms of years but years are a poor measure of a life. It's not the years you put into your life that count, it's the life that you put into your years and I think you put in plenty. I sometimes think that the most important thing we can do between the cradle and the grave is to bring happiness to others and all these messages prove that you did this time after time after time.

So yes, we will grieve for you, we will miss you, but most of all, I hope we'll remember how much happiness you brought to so many.

Wherever you are, take care.

Tim

[Arlene Melville]

I only met fergie a couple of times, but i am so glad his daughter Shona went to St Andrews University.
In studying International Relations she met her true love. My Kevin from FORFAR.
'Hardly international' as fergie would put it.

Although kevs a Dundee United fan, they got on from the word go. il never forget the big smile and the peck on the cheek i recieved when i bought you Forfar Bridies.

There will definitly be a huge void in the family home.

forever in our memories - the melvilles

[Jane English]

Like so many others I had the pleasure of working with Fergie. He was my supervisor back in 1984 when I started and quickly press ganged me into joining the union (didn't realise that this was part of a supervisor's role?). Even when he moved to another department he never forgot the people he knew and was always ready to have a quick chat if you ran into him.
He was a great guy to work for and will be sorely missed.
Thoughts are with his family.
Wish there were more like him.

[Elaine Prendergast]

I knew Fergie from my days at Scottish Mutual and like many others fell for his phone call pranks every time. He was a true gent who will be sadly missed by everyone who knew him.

My thoughts are with his family at this terrible time.

[LENNY]

Totally shocked with the sad news, just back from a business trip today, I had only got Fergie on the train at Kilwinning the other week for the Aberdeen game. I have many memories with Fergie including the time we had hassle with Aberdeen casuals in the Prince of Wales pub in Aberdeen (we won), Troon Juniors versus the Buffs (we won !) and the time Fergie and Brian were selling the Horseshoe Bar Rangers Supporters Club Polo shirts for a no bad price. Fantastic memories over the years, great guy, will be sorely missed by all, from Lenny, Colin and Cliff, condolences to all of the family.

[Creighton Halliday]

It was a great shock to hear of the death of Fergie Macdonald.
I recall an amusing incident which happened over 20 years ago on the golf course ( I think it was Dougalston Golf Club). We were playing in the Scottish Mutual foursomes and as I recall it my partner didn’t have a good drive. I think it was the 14th or 15th hole and I was faced with a full 5 wood to the green. I had addressed the ball and was about to start my back swing, when a man and his dog appeared from the nearby trees. I stepped back from the ball until the road was clear then readdressing the ball, I hit a good shot which landed on the green. Fergie, since that day, always referred to the shot as “one man and his dog”. I do not remember how the game finished but that is not really important – is it?
No doubt there are a lot of Mutual staff who will remember that Fergie was the founder member of the M.C.C. ( Mutual Curry Club) and I still have the tie to prove it.
With heartfelt sympathy to Fergie’s wife and family.

[Alex Burnside]

The family have know Fergie since we moved to our existing house and I will never forget where I was and what I was doing when I heard the tragic news.

I spent a lot of time commuting with him on the train and although he was known for his distance running I have also seen a fairly mean 60 yds dash from him -usually just as the train pulled in to Barassie station.

And I lost count of the times on the packed but silent 5.30 from Central when Fergie would announce in a loud voice that I was sitting on his seat and "you're going to have to move, pal!" Only after severeal fellow passengers looked over the top of their newspapers would he give that big grin and trademark chuckle!

He was a great guy.

He will be missed by all who knew him, and our hearts go out to Janie, Shona and Angus.

I'm sure he will be organising things up there as we speak.

The Jambo

[George McGregor]

Reading through everyones thoughts and words, we are only sorry we didn't know the Big Man better!!

Our thoughts are with his wife, children and extended family at this time.

Fergie's colourful running presence was well know around Troon in his patriotic shorts, various rangers jerseys and the yellow and black of the Troon Tortoises, and i'm pleased to say I had the pleasure of running with him in various races over the last few years.

The colour scheme in the club along with banter, won't be the same without him.

"Fergie, a true flower of Scotland, when will we see your like again"

[Wilson Barrie]

admin said:

In recognition that many people's lives have been affected by the tragic death of Fergie I've set up this guestbook for anyone who knew him to leave any messages of condolence or any stories relating to Fergie.



TD.[Fergie will be a sad loss to his friends and family. The next few lines say it all about Fergies sense on fun as well as his compassion and thoughts for others.
I seen him last on Thursday 27th Sept. We were on the same plane to Stanstead as he headed off on his trip to France. Just before the flight took off the stewardess asked if passenger Fergus Macdonald could come up to the front of the plane, Fergie made his way to the front of the plane resplendent in his kilt and Scotland top, it wasn't any problem but on his way back he let his fellow passengers know that he had declined the pilots offer to fly the plane!!!!. Fergie knew I was heading to America on Saturday for a mutual friends(Tommy Devlin's son Craig) wedding and his final words to me were" don't work too hard mate and tell Tommy, Linda and Craig to have a great time at the wedding"....sums the man up for me.
I for one will miss "tooting the horn" at Fergie on the front at Barassie. Three cheers for the man in red, white and blue.

Wilson Barrie ]

[kyle barrie]

I knew Fergie for a too short a while. I am friends with his son Angus and i find it very sad to see him go.I used to see him most wednesdays during my paper round and I will miss him very much.


Kyle Barrie 13

[Jimmy Linklater]

I first met Fergie nearly 10 years ago when I returned from a spell working in London. I met him through my old pals Tommy Devlin and Tam Belshaw and we started playing 5 a-sides together on a Thursday night and,more importantly,started drinking together and betting on the football coupons!
Every Saturday morning I could expect a chap on the door from Fergie and wee Angus (if I hadn't already met them in the bookies!) with Fergie dropping in his football line (a losing one usually!)
In the 10 years I knew Fergie I can honestly say he was one of the nicest guys I have ever met in my life and I feel honoured to have had as my friend.
I always called him "Rangers Fergie" mainly because I can't remember seeing him without some form of Rangers clothing on him!
Like most people in Troon I will always remember him pounding the streets in his Union Jack T-Shirt and shorts (often timed to coincide with the Celtic buses coming in from Belfast!)
What a legend you were Fergie!
My heart goes out to Janey,Shona and wee Angus.
I will miss you greatly Fergie,but I certainly will not forget you.
R.I.P. Big Man

[holly99]

We were neighbours of Fergie and family for about 17 years until we moved last year. We miss his big cheeky grin and the following poem sums up the Fergie we had the pleasure of knowing -

Full of fun, always a friend
Energetic till the end.
Recognised by his way-out gear
Gave us all cause to cheer.
In the evening he'd be seen
Exercising round the green.

Monday to Friday to earn his cash
Away to the train he would dash.
Come the weekend - Saturday morn'
Doting Dad with Angus his son
Off to Ibrox he'd be gone.
Now from us he's been taken
A tragedy - we are shaken.
Lost to us, forgotten never
Dead - but in our hearts forever.

Farewell Big Man,
Cathie and Jack Millar & family.

[Andy McGregor]

Still cant take the news in or find the words to express how legendary Fergie was and how greatly i will miss him.

So many laughs & jokes, stories and wind ups but above all this was his care for others and putting them first at all times, its an area where not many could match him - i've certainly not met any.

A truely great great guy, EVERY single memory a good one.

My sincerest condolences to Janie, Shone & Angus


Andy 'The Red' McGregor

[sharonc]

Deepest condolances to Fergie's family.

Having known him from his time with Scottish Mutual/Abbey, I will always remember him as he would never pass you by without a friendly smile & a big hello.

That and him being a true 'True Blue'

Rest in peace, Fergie xx.