Campbell Port, Golspie

Campbell Port, who died on August 30, was born on October 7, 1945, in Glasgow, close to the family home in King’s Park, the eldest child of Campbell and Margaret, and was followed by two younger sisters, Margaret and Christina.

He attended King’s Park primary and secondary schools, where he joined in the usual activities, both in and out of the classroom.

Campbell became particularly interested in the Scout movement after he joined the cubs at eight, and was a member of his local group for 10 years. At 18, he joined a local Sea Scout group, became their assistant leader and his interest in sailing and canoeing grew.

He left school in 1963 and became a quantity surveyor, a profession he was to pursue until his retirement. He spent most of his working life in Sutherland.

In 1966, he met his future wife Christine. At the time Campbell was living in King’s Park and Christine was on the other side of Glasgow in Bishopbriggs.

He always liked to tell the story of how mention was made in Christine’s house just after their first meeting of the forthcoming alteration to the bus service – the route from Bishopbriggs to King’s Park was finishing in three weeks’ time. "Don’t you worry about it, son, you won’t still be around then anyway," Christine’s mother told him.

Stubbornly, he was still there more than half a century later!

Campbell and Christine married 48 years ago, on September 12, 1970. He often said it was the best thing that ever happened to him. It was a very happy marriage. Both had different interests but the one thing they did share though, was a devotion to each other.

But Campbell was no romantic. For their first Christmas together as a married couple, he gave Christine cookery books!

A couple of years after their wedding, the couple moved north to Sutherland, living first in Brora for many years before moving to Golspie in 1988. In 1976 and 1981, they welcomed their daughters Louise and Jennifer to the world.

Family was the single most important thing in Campbell’s life and it was what made him happy. He was immensely proud of his two daughters and he enjoyed watching them developing academically, sportingly and progressing in their chosen careers.

Over the years, he served on many community councils and club committees, including on Sutherland Sports Council and, for more than 10 years, as a trustee of Kilbraur Benefit Trust.

He had a number of hobbies, the main ones being hill walking with his friend Murray Baillie from Brora, who died a few years ago; sea-angling in his wee boat; going for a walk to Little Ferry; fishing with his great friends Iain Miller, Bill Main and Grant Fairns - who conducted his funeral service - and Golspie Rowing Club, which he helped to establish in 2014.

The rowing club – and its members – were a big part of his life. He loved it, and greatly admired the workmanship of the two skiffs, which are a real credit to the village.

He also enjoyed ceilidh dancing. Having met Christine at the Highlanders Institute whilst doing a Dashing White Sergeant, 15 years ago she persuaded him to get back on to the dance floor – it was great fun, and he revelled in the excellent company and good music, especially at Rogart Hall.

Campbell was, naturally, his musician daughter Jennifer’s number one fan and through her, he developed a love of traditional Scottish music. Scotland’s national flag was another love. Campbell and Christine called their house Saltire, and erected in the garden a flagpole with a Saltire fluttering proudly from it. It meant a lot to Campbell to be able to go to the top of Ben Bhraggie recently and fly his Saltire! He went with Go Golspie - and the family are grateful to the group for giving him that opportunity.

In 2012, Jennifer married Graeme, who took her surname, and Campbell was very proud to welcome the new Mr Port into the family. Further joy came with the birth of Imogen, Freya and Alyth. He was a very proud grandpa and could often been seen pushing a buggy down Golspie Main Street. The three girls were a constant source of amazement, much enjoyment and great happiness to him, not to mention a lot of noise!

Campbell embraced technology and when the girls are older, they will find they each have accounts containing many emails waiting to be read … from their grandpa.