Scotsman Obituaries: Jim Thom, Scottish dentist with a huge enthusiasm for life

Jim Thom’s many hobbies included rugby, mountain climbing and cycling

Born in Bellshill in 1955, Jim Thom had a distinguished dental career spanning more than 40 years. He was the youngest child of three, born to Jean and James Robertson Thom, both school teachers. He shared the family home in Bellshill with his elder brother and sister, David and Mary.

After graduating from Glasgow University Dental Hospital in 1980, he left the UK to practice in Yellowknife Canada. There he met and married Pat Spence.

Returning to Scotland in 1985, Pat and Jim raised three children, Brynmor (born in Canada), Calum and Meghan, in Melrose. Throughout Jim's life, his family was the most important aspect, they brought him love, joy and celebration.

Jim applied for and was accepted for dual Canadian citizenship in 1985, his rationale being that Superman actress Margot Kidder was handing out certificates that year.

In 1989 he became an elder at Melrose Parish Kirk.

Jim had an unparalleled enthusiasm and passion for just about everything. With his boundless energy and food intake he was the life, soul and organiser of the many gatherings. He became an instant lifelong friend to many. He loved playing rugby at Melrose, then took up coaching and refereeing.

Golf and all the camaraderie it brought was another huge part of his life and he enjoyed sharing the love of the fairways with family and friends. He played squash like a second row forward going into a ruck and once managed to tear his Achilles tendon at table tennis. He ran marathons, and road biked all over the Borders.

When his eldest son Brynmor became Melrosian in 2005, he took up horse riding and was heavily involved in the Melrose Festival committee thereafter. Jim was an avid reader and a regular attendee at a local book club (although it may have been more aptly called a wine club on occasion).

He took lessons and learned to fish for salmon and trout on his beloved river Tweed but never did learn how to row a boat successfully. He had recently been very excited to be accepted into the ancient Trout Anglers Club of Edinburgh of 1899. As he explained, “No riff raff there”.

His thirst for new horizons led him into one more brotherhood of adventure, mountain climbing – many Munros beckoned, from the central gully of Ben Lui in the middle of winter, to Toubkal in Morocco (4167 metres). His prowess at mapreading was marvelled at by companions: He never knew where he was, where he had been or where he was going but he was having the time of his life!

Jim Thom died in untimely fashion on 3 July 2024 on Paddy Slacks, Yarrow Valley, Selkirk, pursuing one of his favourite pastimes, cycling. Missed dreadfully by us all, he was “a man amongs't men”.

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