Farm vehicles on main roads never bothered Fife agricultural contractor Ewan Mitchell. So it was a fitting tribute to the 65-year-old that his coffin – taken by tractor – caused a tailback on Dunfermline’s roads on the way to his funeral.
Perth born
Ewan Drysdale Mitchell was born in Perth on December 9 1957. The son of Ewen and Annie Mitchell of Moreland Farm, Cleish, he had one younger brother, Leslie.
Ewan attended Cleish Primary School then Kinross High, with his academic career best summed up as him “enjoying his days off.”
On leaving school Ewan started work with the McEwans of Hardiston Farm, just along the road from the small farm his parents ran. When the McEwans moved to Dorset Ewan went with them.
Farm work
He spent six months staying in a bed and breakfast in Winterborne, helping his employers to move and settle in. He and the proprietors remained friends and Ewan visited them just last year.
On returning from the south Ewan returned to Moreland farm before finding employment with Archie Patterson who ran an agricultural contracting business. Ewan’s tasks included farm labouring and spreading lime.
In his spare time Ewan and his brother liked to tee off at Muckhart Golf Club and enjoyed going to watch stock car racing in Cowdenbeath.
Tattie howking
Ewan stayed with Archie Patterson until 1989 when he went out on his own as a self-employed agricultural contractor.
Hard work, he undertook all kinds of tasks such as ploughing, reseeding and general farm labour. However, as the business grew he took on Ewan Jones, then purchased excavators, and the business flourished. He eventually specialised in land drainage and ground works.
Every year Ewan’s firm would also partner with the Cygnet potato company at Milnathort – planting then later harvesting potatoes.
Family life
In 1993 Ewan met and fell in love with Cath Curle. He and mum-of-two Cath remained together for 30 years.
She said: “Ewan very much embraced all three of us and became a very proud step-dad to Jason and Pam. This meant in more recent years I was gran gran and he was papa for Pam’s two children Ailish and Callum.”
In 2004 Ewan and his family moved to West Bonhard Farm at Carnock, West Dunfermline. A family business, Cath was involved involved doing secretarial work, and as the years went on Ewan enjoyed taking breaks with his wife and kids.
“One of our favourite holidays was to the French Alps. We took these big chalets and enjoyed time with our friends and families. Ewan also loved Cyprus but our last break was to Dorset in August,” added Cath.
He was also a fan of table bowling, joining the Crook of Devon table bowling club, many years ago. He still attended until he fell ill.
Terminal diagnosis
Just before Christmas Ewan began to feel unwell, but put it down to a virus.
“He was the type of person who, firstly, would never have told you if he was in pain, and secondly would never have given you any reason to think that either. If there was work to be done, he would be out doing it.
“When the virus lingered he went to the doctor. But by the time that happened he was given the devastating news that he had stage four cancer.
“That was the second week in January. We knew then it was terminal.”
At 10pm on February 16 Ewan passed away at home with Cath by his side.
Guard of honour
A celebration of Ewan’s life took place at Dunfermline Crematorium.
His coffin was taken to the funeral on the back of Ewan’s tractor, driven by one of his oldest friends.
More than 20 pick-up trucks and four-by-fours formed a guard of honour at the crematorium.
“It was such a fitting send off because Ewan was one one of those people who never cared if his tractor held up the traffic on the roads. He just drove it and got on with it.
“But I’m told that as he went from the farm to the crem his friends in their vehicles made quite a tailback. He would have been laughing just thinking about that.”
In keeping with Ewan’s love of Westerns the theme to The Good, the Bad and The Ugly was played as his casket was carried in.
A slide show of photos that was prepared by his nine-year-old granddaughter, was also shown.
‘Known from the Forth to the Tay’
Donations at the funeral – collected in a pair of Ewan’s green wellies – amounted to more than £1000.
It was Ewan’s wish that any money should go to the RSABI charity, which provides vital support to people in Scottish agriculture.
“Ewan knew every farmer from the Forth to the Tay. He was incredibly well known but he was a very quiet man – who didn’t get overly excited about anything.
“He could come across as quite serious but underneath he had a good sense of humour.
“So many people knew him as a farmer and contractor but not many saw the funny, family man. He worked as hard for us as he did in the business.”
You can read the family’s announcement here.
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