Obituary: Alistair Skene, businessman, piper and sportsman

Alistair Skene when he was President of the FPS parent club in Edinburgh, 1992-3

Alistair Skene was a highly regarded and popular figure who made his mark in various walks of life, in business, sport, as a piper, in a wide range of community activities and as a much-loved family man. He may have been short of stature but his big heartedness, positivity and engaging nature earned him the affection and respect of all with whom he came into contact. An individual who was genuinely interested in people and always ready to help, he made a much-appreciated contribution in all he did.

He set up his own printing company, Skeneprint, in Aberdeen in 1973 which developed into a very successful business, employing 25 people. His sporting passion was rugby and he played for the Aberdeenshire Club alongside two Scottish internationalists, Ken Scotland, also of British Lions fame, and Ian Robertson, later a well-known rugby broadcaster. After hanging up his boots, Alistair served the club with distinction in various capacities, including the Presidency.

He was also involved with the Rotary Club, serving a term as President of the Aberdeen St Nicholas branch and was President of the Stewart’s Melville College Former Pupils’ Club (FPs), while he also enjoyed his time as a piper in the Ballater and District Pipe Band.

Alistair Campbell Skene was born in Kuala Lumpur, the only child of Alexander and Gladys. Although the family had Aberdeen roots it also had Malayan connections as Alistair’s grandfather had been harbour master in Singapore while his father was manager of a tin dredging mine there. When back on leave in Aberdeen in 1939, war broke out so Alistair and his mother remained here as his father returned to Malaya. In 1941 the ship on which his father was coming back was bombed near Ireland and while he was rescued, he died of hypothermia, a devastating blow.

Later his mother married William Campbell and in 1946 the family moved to live in the Blackhall area of Edinburgh and Alistair began attending Daniel Stewart’s College (later Stewart’s Melville.).There he developed his lifelong love of rugby and piping, representing the school at both. After school, Alistair went to study printing at college in Leeds, paving the way for his future career.

In 1956 he was called up for National Service with the Royal Scots Fusiliers and found himself back in Malaya, this time on active service dealing with the communist insurgency. He spent his time there as a signaller, earning notable plaudits. His discharge recorded: “He has done well and proved himself much above average, one of the best signallers in the platoon. Is NCO material but is keen to return to printing and should do well in civilian life.”

On his return to Edinburgh he joined McLagan and Cumming Printers and played rugby for Stewart’s FPs as a scrum half. In 1963 the Edinburgh company closed, leading Alistair to move south to join “head office” in Wolverton, Bucks, where future wife Sheila Pedley worked as receptionist. While there he played rugby for Northampton Mens’ Own Club, where a teammate was Colin Milburn, better known as a Test cricketer.

In 1966 he and Sheila were married in Wolverton; they would go on to enjoy 54 years of happy marriage, during which they had three sons, Andrew, Hamish and Iain, with Andrew maintaining the Malayan connection by being the fourth generation to settle there.

The couple moved to Aberdeen, where initially Alistair worked for the maternal family firm and then a national company before setting up his own business based in the Bridge of Don industrial estate.This was a well-timed move with the oil industry taking off, affording the company valuable opportunities which Alistair’s shrewd guidance maximised as the business expanded and prospered.

His love affair with rugby continued, with Alistair playing until aged 34 and thereafter serving Aberdeenshire for years as secretary, Vice President, President and supporter, a true pillar of the club and a credit to the sport. It was a family involvement as Sheila made teas while their sons were brought along from an early age. Although he had “stopped” playing, Alistair did resume "Golden Oldies” rugby with Aberdeen Strollers, a composite team which led to his enjoying participating in tournaments in France, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, his finale coming in Christchurch aged 65.

He was a mainstay of the Aberdeen branch of the Stewart’s Melville FPs Club at whose annual dinners his company was always welcome and was honoured by appointment as President of the parent club in the early 1990s, a task he undertook graciously and effectively.

After retiring from business aged 61, he had no difficulty keeping active, pursuing interests in beekeeping, hillwalking, fly fishing, Burns Suppers and as volunteer guide at the Gordon Highlanders’ Museum. In 2008 he and Sheila moved to Ballater, with Alistair immersing himself in local activities including Probus, bowling and the Pipe Band. He enjoyed encouraging youngsters and playing at Highland Gatherings including Aboyne, Braemar, Lonach and his favourite, Ballater.

Sheila and he enjoyed foreign travel, especially to Penang and Singapore, and latterly river cruises in Europe on the Rhine, Rhone, Danube and Black Sea.

Alistair is survived by his wife, sons, daughter-in-law Rini, and three grandchildren, Alexander, Kyla and Findlay.