Reflections on the Life of Alasdair McKay

 

 

 

Alasdair McKay was a much loved and enthusiastic member of the Halifax
Burns Club and sang at every event staged by the Club, The Annual Burns
Suppers, the Jean Armor evenings and the concerts we performed at the
Veteran's Hospital. Alasdair had an unrivalled knowledge of the songs of
Robert Burns, from the obscure to the universally popular and always sang
with great gusto. I mentioned to Pat that I thought Alasdair was mildly
eccentric and Pat felt that was putting it mildly. Without a doubt
Alasdair was a free spirit and somewhat uncontrollable, I remember a
couple of years ago at the Burns Supper introduced Alasdair as I always
did as one of the great characters of the Halifax Burns Club, and he took
the floor and with a twinkle in his eye sang 3 songs, none of which was
the one song we had agreed for the program.

 

Although Alasdair could dress smartly for an occasion, sartorial elegance
was not on his list of priorities, he had an inimitable sense of style. A
couple of months ago he arrived at a club meeting wearing the skimpiest
pair of shorts possible without offending and an oversize woolly pullover,
and then had us all in fits of laughter telling us that the primary source
of his clothing. The Salvation Army Thrift Shop might have to close, we
were crying. laughing. and Alasdair just smiled quietly. I think Alasdair
perfected the art of smiling quietly at an early age.

 

Although Alasdair left us prematurely he lived a fulfilled life. Alasdair
was very well educated and very well read. He was born in Stirling.
Scotland, and in many respects was the quintessential Scot. He went on to
gain a B.Sc at Glasgow University. an M.Sc. at the University of Wales in
Bangor and a Ph D. at the University of Durham. Whilst at Durham Alasdair
first met his wife to be, Pat. They were very happily married for 33 years
and anybody that witnessed Pat and Alasdair in full flight dancing the Gay
Gordons or the Dashing White Sergeant knew immediately that Pat and
Alasdair were much, much more than man and wife

 

Alasdair left many legacies; first and foremost, a loving family and I'm
sure that Pat and Alasdair's daughter Elizabeth and son Robert will carry
precious memories of a very special Father in their hearts for the rest of
their lives.

 

Although Alistair's vocation as a geophysicist was in the field of
science, his avocation was in the arts, history, literature, poetry,
music, singing and dancing, and he had an astounding breadth of knowledge
with regard to his eclectic range of interests. Alasdair was essentially a
quiet man but loved the rigor and vigor of debate and was almost always
the first to re-act to email queries from other members; points of
history, the meaning and roots of words both ancient and modern, Latin
verse and quotations, comparisons between the Declaration of Arbroath, the
Magna Carta and the Declaration of Independence and countless other
topics. Compared to Alasdair most of the rest of us in the club could be
considered to be semi-literate. Just a few weeks ago, our secretary had
reported in the minutes that some of the club's officers had been elected
by acclimation rather than acclamation. True to form, Alasdair was first
to respond and voiced surprise to hear that some of the officers had been
genetically modified in order to habituate their new climate.

 

Pat told me a few days ago that Alasdair had been prescriptive with
regards to how things should be handled: -

 

Minimum fuss

 

Minimum distress

 

Minimum expense

 

In a way, I think that's how Alasdair lived his life. He was a gentlemen
and a gentle man. He marched to the beat of his own drum and wasn't
particularly concerned about the opinions of others outside of the family
with regard to how he lived his life.

 

I remember a couple of years ago he was to performed the address to the
Haggis which he had prepared himself for a concert at the Veteran's
Hospital. We were about ready to start when Alasdair arrived, hair
streaming in the wind; he cycled up to the hospital entrance resplendent
in a bright red rain jacket, the shortest kilt we had ever seen and the
Haggis swathed in woolly pullovers and tied to the handle-bars of his
bicycle. When it was pointed out to Alasdair that he had almost certainly
revealed to passers by what a Scottish gentlemen does or does not wear
under the kilt, Alasdair merely smiled quietly.

 

And again, at the Annual General Meeting earlier this year, held on HMCS
Sackville Alasdair arrived on his bicycle at the Naval Dockyard security
gate, he was deeply tanned, bearded, kilted and carrying a suspicious
parcel - The Haggis - and carried no identification whatsoever. He had
been refused entry and was being questioned with regard to his mission
when luckily Club member Jim Lancaster arrived on the scene. After some
explanation and agreeing to vouch for Alasdair, both Alasdair and the
Haggis arrived at their destination - mission completed. I think the
security guards still talk about it, and whenever we made reference to it
Alasdair just smiled quietly.

 

The Halifax Burns Club was very fortunate when it became part of
Alistair's extended family beyond the home hearth. I've always considered
the Club as a fraternity and past president John Bryce referred to it as a
band of brothers. Well, we'll all greatly miss our much loved brother
Alasdair, we'll miss his contributions, his scholarship, we'll miss his
singing, his free spirit, and his complete disregard of the dictates of
fashion, we'll miss our monthly fix of Alistair's delicious Haggis and
Neeps, his quiet smiles, but most of all we'll miss the enriching company
of a truly exceptional human being.

 

Our senior member Captain Angus McDonald suggested a verse by Robert
Burns, it was written by Robert as an epitaph for his friend William Muir,
but it could just as easily have been written for our friend, Alasdair
McKay.

 

An Honest man lies here at rest

As ere God with his image blest

The friend of Man, the friend of Truth

The friend of Age and guide of Youth

Few hearts like his with virtue warmed

Few heads with knowledge so informed

If there's another world, he lives in bliss

If there is none he made the best of this.

 

And now in conclusion, as we gather here today to give thanks and
celebrate a life well lived, I would like to ask you all to recall a
pleasant moment spent with Alasdair and while enjoying that memory please
smile quietly.

 

 

Bill Forster

 

Friend and Fellow Member of the Halifax Burns Club