Specialist crofting lawyer, Lochaber Rugby Club founder and Fort William Shinty Club chairman Duncan MacPhee has died aged 70.
Born in Fort William on December 15 1951, he passed away just shy of his 71st birthday.
His daughter Catriona MacPhee has paid tribute to her dad.
Seated with the generations
She writes: “Less than a week after downing tools in the family garage for the final time, one of Lochaber’s great men peacefully joined the generations before him.
“Duncan MacPhee had just finished painting a wooden slat Christmas Tree for a local nursery. It was the next job on his infamous list after fitting a buzzer to an old ride-on lawn mower he had donated so the children could sit on it and beep the horn.
“Prior to that he’d perfected a brilliant system of pulleys, counterweights and ladders to ease access to the loft. If you pulled the last rope, 10ft above your head there was a soft close finish on the hatch, naturally.”
The Highland crofting lawyer was fixing, building and planning to the very end of a long illness that he refused to let impede his busy life.
Building a life for himself with skills from Lochaber family
A hugely respected figure throughout the west of Scotland, Duncan’s efforts helped many people and his work blazed many trails. He was honest and fair, which he expected in return.
Duncan was brought up in a family of Lochaber builders. He learned the trade of his father, and uncles as they built many of the homes, dams and villages that make up the town today.
The skills of Duncan’s father, Angus, were such that his services were requested in New Zealand, installing the first domestic water waste system. This led to Duncan spending nine of his formative years in the country.
His mother Sheila taught in the Maori settlements alongside Duncan and his sister Mairi.
Leading lawyer for crofters
Duncan’s parents chose law for him. It proved to be a wise choice. Yet despite 44 years as a lawyer and foremost crofting specialist in Scotland, he wasn’t one to boast about his many prestigious titles and offices.
Duncan quietly got on with finding solutions and moving others to do the same. Countless landmark projects and deals were brokered at his desk through skilled diplomacy and deft handling of volatile components.
“Wit and wisdom were his tools at work. His legal victories set many of the precedents in the Scottish Land Court but he was more than a lawyer in his dealings – he was a friend and a gentleman,” Catriona added.
Love story combined ‘builders and butchers’
Duncan achieved all that he did with his wife Rosemary (nee Wynne) by his side.
Catriona explained: “After meeting as young lawyers in Fort William, true to the hallmarks of a Duncan MacPhee deal, they were engaged within a week and married within 10.
“In doing so they combined two great Lochaber families – the builders and the butchers.”
Together they built the largest legal practice and estate agents in the Highlands. Over the years they employed and personally supported the careers of hundreds of people between Oban and Fort William.
They also travelled extensively, often with Duncan’s bagpipes in tow.
There were few far flung places they didn’t make a connection with. He once realised by chance that a woman they got chatting to on a charity trip to Quito, Ecuador, was a long-standing client with whom Duncan had only ever corresponded with by letter.
Family highs and lows
The couple also raised five children and dedicated themselves to guiding and supporting them in every way. The loss of one of their sons, Fraser, at the age of 14, had a profound impact on Duncan.
Catriona explained: “In the face of such adversity, they somehow drew strength from an impossible source.”
Duncan channelled his energy into youth sport and young people, particularly the most vulnerable. He knew the importance of sport and goal-setting at that crucial time in life. If barriers existed then refurbished studded boots or lifts would appear.
MacPhee family leave lasting legacy
Duncan contributed to countless clubs and associations notably helping found Lochaber Rugby Club, where he served as President, Lochaber Yacht Club, the Camanachd Association, Lochaber Sports Association, the East Lochaber and Laggan Community Trust, among many others.
He became involved with Fort William Shinty Club, latterly serving as chairman during a prosperous and thriving era. Duncan was also instrumental in major funding, infrastructure and facilities progress.
But perhaps his most lasting legacy in shinty will prove to be the transformation of some barren wasteland into a second pitch. At the request of the committee this was named Fraser’s Field.
The family also founded the annual Fraser MacPhee Youth Shinty Tournament. This hugely popular event is for primary schools from across Scotland. There were several other trophies and fair play awards in his name.
Duncan was a rugby man at heart but some of his happiest hours were spent watching his four sons play shinty, a game he came to love. He was especially proud to watch his eldest son Niall captain Fort William to lift the Camanachd Cup in 2010.
Retirement meant time for family
After retiring from practice two years ago Duncan and Rosemary kept an open-door policy at their home in Torlundy where friends from far and wide would drop in for a seat by the fire.
Duncan was very proud of his children, Catriona, Niall, Ruaridh, Fraser and Arran, and their families. In his later years he loved being a grandad (and chief alpaca herder). He took delight in showing the younger generations how to fix things.
“When we organised for his crutches to be returned to the hospital it was noted their future use may be limited. Likely due to the paint marks, gouges, scuffs and melted rubber tips. He had of course used them to stoke the fire.
‘My dad built a full, rich and happy life’
“In his extraordinarily productive 70 years my dad built a full, rich and happy life. His example and legacy will be felt for generations to come,” Catriona added.
Tributes continue to be posted online including this one from Fort William Shinty Club who said his passion for the club came from his love for his children.
His funeral is to take place in St Mary’s Church, Fort William, at 11am on Saturday December 17.