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Ashley McCombie: Former Aberdeen Masonic club chairman dies aged 74

Ashley McCombie.
Ashley McCombie.

Ashley McCombie, former chairman of the RUA Masonic Club in Aberdeen, has died aged 74.

He had also been a prominent businessman in the north-east, running his own painting and decorating firm, Central Decorators, licensed premises in Kintore and Elgin, and Chubby’s American Diner in Aberdeen.

Ashley, together with his wife Marlene, ran several guest houses over the years and provided accommodation to many young Aberdeen FC players.

Location to location

He was also known for property renovation and during their married life it is estimated the couple moved 17 times.

Ashley was born in Insch and brought up by his mother Millie and his grandparents.

Despite suffering from asthma, he led an active childhood, attending The Boys’ Brigade, boxing and playing football for Insch in the Donside league.

Musician

He also played drums in Insch Pipe band in which many of the McCombie family played.

Ashley left school at 15 and served an apprenticeship with Bruce joiners, however, a combination of an accident in which he lost half of a finger and the dust forced him to give up joinery.

Decorating

Instead, Ashley began a second apprenticeship as a painter and decorator and worked with Sharpe of Premnay and then Stewart of Old Rayne.

Ashley had met his future wife, June, while they were at school and they married in 1967 and had two children, Paula and Scott.

They lived in Premnay, then Insch before a move to Torry in 1973. Unfortunately the marriage lasted only a few years after the move to Aberdeen and Ashley was single for a time until he met Marlene at a party.

She was a single mum of one daughter, Donna. Together the couple would buy homes, improve them, sell them and then buy again.

Licensed trade

Ashley had a spell as publican at the Crown Hotel in Kintore, the Crown Bar in Elgin, ran his own decorating firm and worked offshore for a period.

The couple had a daughter, Ashley Marie, on April 19 1981 and, on April 19 1982, their son Jamie was born.

Ashley and Marlene married in 1982 at the registrar’s and went to London on their honeymoon.

Travellers

When not working, the couple were dedicated travellers, making a dozen trips to Florida alone as well as holidays to Las Vegas, Memphis and New Orleans and cruises around the Mediterranean.

They bought and sold a couple of apartments in Spain and had a caravan in Arbroath where they would visit at weekends.

From the 1980s, Ashley was a member of the RUA Masonic Club in Aberdeen and served as chairman until 2020, being the longest-serving chairman in the club’s history.

Stewardship

He was proud of this achievement and of leading the club to a healthy financial position. He was also a member of Lodge Vale of Alford 910.

Ashley was a great family man and enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. He was a well kent face around Aberdeen and its surroundings, described by many as one in a million and will be sorely missed.

At his funeral £1,006.14 was raised for the British Heart Foundation.

You can read the family’s announcement here.