Farewell to a man of music and laughter

Published on Thursday 17 January 2008 08:32

MUSICIAN David Finlayson, of Meadowbank, dies aged 79.

DAVID FINLAYSON was born at the Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion in Edinburgh in 1928. He was the eldest of four children, brought up first in Leith and later in Sleigh Drive, Craigentinny.

A regular churchgoer, he met his wife Alice at a Sunday School picnic organised by Lochend Parish Church.

Alice was a Sunday School teacher and David had gone along to help out.

The couple married in 1956 at Lochend Parish Church and had one daughter Jennifer, now 47.

David was employed as a sheet metal worker, working for a time in the shipyards. When bad health forced him to retire from heavy manual work, David got a job as a general assistant in the pathology department of Edinburgh University, based at the old Royal Infirmary. Despite suffering poor health he worked right up until he was 65.

David learnt to play the accordion as a child and went on to perform twice weekly at Gibby's Ceilidh at the Learmonth Hotel.

He also played regularly at Trade Winds restaurant on the Shore.

Most of David and Alice's social life revolved around the church, latterly St Margaret's, Restalrig, where David played in the praise band on Sundays. He also played with the Restalrig country dance band on a Monday.

As well as being an accomplished musician, David was a keen gardener and enjoying tending to his large back garden in Dalgety Street.

He died on Alice's 74th birthday – on New Year's Day – peacefully at home, surrounded by his family.

David is survived by Alice, his daughter Jennifer, grandson Lewis, ten, and granddaughter, Amy, eight. He is also mourned by his siblings Margaret, William and Helen.

Rev Ewan Aitken, who knew David for 12 years, paid tribute to him.

He said: "David Finlayson was a one-off, a man who brought smiles to many faces, but did not ignore the reality and at times the struggle of living.

"He was a deeply spiritual man, a man who loved the church; a musician to his fingertips, always up for a session and able to produce the right tune at the right moment.

"David was one of the reasons I loved being minister at St Margaret's and one of the reasons why after I stopped being the minister I wanted to continue to be part of the congregation.

"This gentle, generous, God-filled man of music and laughter gave so much and yet dismissed his own significance.

"I know that I am richer for having known him and I will miss him a great deal."