William (Bill) Smith, who owned hotels in both Burghead and Ullapool, has died aged 91 at his home in Inverness.
Bill was born in Dalmally, Argyllshire, and was educated at Oban High School where he excelled at athletics.
In their later life, his parents had run the Delnashaugh Hotel, Ballindalloch from where Bill got his interest in the tourist trade.
Bill spent his two years’ National Service with the RAF military police in Cyprus. When he returned to Scotland, he found work in the kitchens of the Caledonian Hotel in Edinburgh, before joining North British Hotels’ trainee management programme.
His first post was at Cluny House Hotel, Forres, where he met his future wife, Chris, who was working in the hotel’s office. They married in Inverness in 1957 and held their reception at the Palace Hotel.
After management positions on Arran and in East Kilbride, the couple moved to Ullapool to take over the running of the Caledonian Hotel.
They then bought their own hotel, the Commercial in Burghead, in 1964 and ran it for eight years.
In the early 1970s, Bill and Chris returned to Ullapool to take over the Arch Inn which they owned for almost 20 years.
Bill was very involved in the community – he was a member of Lochbroom Community Council, volunteered with the Coastguard Auxillary for 16 years, and was Royal British Legion Scotland, Lochbroom Branch treasurer for over 35 years.
He was also active in Wester Ross Tourist Association and Wester Ross Hoteliers’ Association.
A flair for golf saw Bill win various trophies in his younger years. In later life he was a captain of Bonar Bridge Golf Club, where he scored his only hole in one, and was instrumental in helping establish Ullapool Golf Club.
After retiring from the Arch Inn at the age of 60, Bill worked with the DVLC testing centre, both in Ullapool and on the mobile unit, travelling around the north of the country. He retired from this in his mid 80s.
Bill’s biggest passion in life was football. He was an ardent Rangers fan all his life, first attending Ibrox as a child with his father.
He was involved with Burghead Thistle and Ullapool Football Clubs, was a referee in the junior leagues, and after moving to Inverness, enjoyed visits to Victoria Park to watch Ross County.
Bill leaves behind his wife Chris, daughters Fiona and Lynne, sons-in-law Greg and Andrew, and grandchildren Gavin, Sheena, Aiden and Rohan.