Obituary – Murray Gordon

Murray Gordon, proprietor of Mearns Sawmills, the family-owned business group which includes Perthshire Timber Company Ltd and Tulloch Timber (Nairn) Ltd, died on September 10 after a short illness. He was 73.

Mr Gordon was born in Aberdeen and became a well-known and highly-respected figure in the home-grown timber trade. He devoted his working life to the development of his sawmills, initially at Laurencekirk and later at Dunkeld and Nairn, where he took an innovative approach and embraced modern engineering disciplines.

Throughout his career he supported the principal trade associations for the sawmilling sector and was an active member of the UK Forest Products Association and its predecessors in Scotland, including the UK Softwood Sawmillers’ Association and the Home Timber Merchants’ Association of Scotland, of which he was a member of its executive committee for many years.

Mr Gordon enjoyed fishing and shooting and, as a very keen gardener, he derived much pleasure from his garden in Perthshire. Many people in the trade will have fond and lasting memories of the fishing outings that he organised for several years.

He is survived by his wife, Valerie, son Iain, daughter Caroline and two grandchildren.

A service of thanksgiving will be held at Kinclaven Parish Church, Kinclaven, Perthshire on Thursday, September 30.