Dundee man Arthur McEwan entered this world as a surprise – to his big sisters anyway.
Eldest sibling Gladys can still recall when she and sister May were collected from school on May 2 1943 and told there was a surprise waiting for them at their Kinloch Street home in the Hilltown.
Parents Arthur Francis McEwan and Mary McEwan (nee McDonell) introduced the pair to their baby brother, who came with his very own glass bubble – a government-issued protection for babies born during the war.
The family soon moved to 11 Ambleside Avenue and Arthur spent almost his whole life living around the Downfield and Kirkton areas where he was brought up.
As an adult, Arthur would tell others how much his parents had influenced him, instilling in him a strong work ethic and the importance of sticking in at Lawside Primary and Lawside Academy, where he got his education.
School was also where he developed a keen love of sports.
Arthur was ‘shoeless culprit’ at 14
In later years, he enjoyed playing snooker and golf with his friends, but as a young man, Dundee FC fan Arthur was all about football.
He played for Lawside Academy FP, scoring a winning goal in the Gray Cup Final against what he described as ‘the strongest amateur team in our league’.
And he was especially proud that his goal appeared in the Sporting Post that evening; a “quick-witted” storyteller, he had a yarn for every occasion (or made one up) and relished telling a good tale just as much as living it.
One story (told so often it became a family favourite) saw a 14-year-old Arthur kick a football so hard in the schoolyard that his shoe came off – and flew through the headmaster’s window.
Needless to say, the shoeless Arthur was easily identified. Luckily his teacher saw the funny side, as did his friends.
Arthur valued his friendships, particularly the 65 years of camaraderie he found with close pals Brian Petrie and John Mansi.
The three shared a “legendary” hitchhiking trip to Ireland after leaving school, and often fondly reminisced about the pickles they got into, and kind strangers who made the trip so special.
A proud employee of DC Thomson
Indeed, it was on the advice of friend and DC Thomson employee Brian that Arthur applied for a job as an advertising salesman at the Dundee publishing company.
He went on to enjoy 40 successful years at DC Thomson, working his way up to advertising manager before he retired in 2008.
Loved ones say he was “immensely proud” of his time at DC Thomson and fond of his colleagues there.
And he would often recall two occasions when the order was issued to “stop the presses immediately” – the day Margaret Thatcher resigned as prime minister, and the day Princess Diana passed away.
Even after he retired, Arthur read The Courier and Evening Telegraph every day, which kept his already-encyclopaedic knowledge of Dundee’s history and people up to date.
But though he kept his emotions mainly under wraps, Arthur’s greatest source of joy was his family.
Family was Arthur’s ‘greatest joy’
He was married to Madge, the love of his life, on March 9 1968 and the couple spent over 56 years together raising their three children: Lesley, Alistair and Michael.
The couple would often explore the Lake District, and made many happy memories wandering the beautiful landscape of Ambleside; the fact the town shared a name with Arthur’s cherished childhood street was a happy coincidence which only sweetened his fondness of the place.
Arthur and Madge went on to have eight grandchildren, who Arthur doted on and encouraged to work hard and “never stop trying to do your best in anything you attempt”.
He was known to make sure everyone in the family felt looked after, even as he battled dementia in his latter years.
Finding strength in faith at St Columba’s
He found a lot of strength in his Catholic faith, and the community of St Columba’s RC Church in Kirkton was a cornerstone of his life for more than 60 years.
It was built at the end of Ambleside Avenue in 1962, and after watching its construction from his window, Arthur attended service there almost every Sunday until he died.
Arthur was a key member of the parish for many years, including launching the church newsletter, The Dove, along with wife Madge and friend Brian.
Arthur passed away peacefully on February 17 2025, after having spent a cherished weekend with Madge, Lesley, Alistair and Michael, with that day’s Courier sitting on his bedside table waiting to be read one last time.
They will miss his dignified humility, his wit, his love and of course, his stories.
Funds were raised for Alzheimer’s Scotland at Arthur’s funeral on March 10, and donations are still being gratefully accepted for the charity via JustGiving.
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