Falkland Cricket Club legend and former Glenwood High School depute head, Charlie McGarrie, has died aged 88.
He was club captain in 1969 and 1982 and served as president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer.
Charlie scored 7,089 runs for Falkland including 21 half centuries, and his century against Strathmiglo became an innings of folklore, according to Robbie Nellies of the club.
In later years, Charlie took on the roles of assistant groundsman and scorer at Scroggie Park.
Early years
Charlie was born in Lochee, Dundee, in January 1935, the son of grocery warehouseman John McGarrie and his wife, Margaret.
He became dux of Logie Junior Secondary School and during his National Service with the RAF at bases around the UK, he set his mind on becoming a teacher.
After he was demobbed, he studied at teacher training college in Dundee and took his first post as a maths teacher at Beath High School in Cowdenbeath.
Marriage
He met his future wife, Sheena, at training college and they married in 1965 during a period living in Montreal, Canada. The couple went on to have two of a family; Claire and Ross, and one granddaughter.
Sheena, who was born in Nairobi where her father was a missionary, had come to Dundee to study.
On their return to Scotland, Charlie was appointed to a position teaching maths at Buckhaven High School.
He gained promotion to depute head at Glenwood High School, Glenrothes. When he retired, Charlie was able to devote more time to cricket and family as well as his other loves of music and gardening.
He had been an accomplished singer in his youth and had competed for the Leng Medal. His cricketing career took off with Elmwood in Dundee but he also turned out a couple of times for Falkland during that period.
Settled in Fife
Charlie and Sheena moved to the village on their return from Canada and that is when his long association with the cricket club began.
Robbie Nellies said: “Charlie won the 1st XI batting trophy from 1970 to 1974 and the all-rounders trophy in 1968.
“He opened the batting for many years with the late Rab Brown and together they formed a formidable partnership, their batting styles beautifully complementing each other.
“Charlie wasn’t a bad bowler either with a very rhythmical action. He took 187 wickets at an average of 13.5 with a best analysis of seven for 23.
“He was awarded honorary life membership in 1983 for his outstanding contribution to Falkland Cricket Club and the wider game of cricket.”
John Langlands, a colleague from Glenwood, said: “He was a good administrator, personnel manager and maths teacher.
“Charlie was one of the real characters in the school. He was a people person; staff found him very approachable, helpful and humorous. He was well liked by staff and respected by the pupils.”
You can read the family’s announcement here.