WITH the death of Andy MacKay (Herald Obituary, November 10), The Herald has lost a fine motoring journalist who combined real knowledge with an easy writing style. He came to my flat to talk about my 1948 Triumph Roadster (the Bergerac model). We hit it off immediately and I recognised in him the traditional "big kinda nice guy"'. He invited me to present one of my immortal memories for his local Burns event, after which I spent the night at his home where he and his wife made me feel as if we were old friends. My acquaintance with Andy was short, but I was quite knocked back to read of his passing.
Jimmie Macgregor,
THE recent obituary (November 8) of the Rev Dr Lawrence Whitley does not highlight his unrivalled qualities as a preacher, mentor and teacher. Those of us who undertook training for ministry at Glasgow Cathedral under his supervision can testify to his patience, good humour and his example as a preacher who did not waste words but was able to encapsulate his subject in a way that struck home to members of his congregation.
Lawrence was an amateur thespian and was a leading light in the cathedral drama group for whom he wrote several plays and also acted in them. He was the first to go out of his way to greet visitors to the cathedral services and he worked tirelessly in his role as minister to the city institutions and was always at hand to respond to disasters such as occurred when the helicopter crashed on to the Clutha pub in the city centre.
It is a great sadness that he was unable to develop his considerable teaching abilities in his retirement and to share his preaching skills with trainees for the ministry.
Rev Prof Roger Sturrock,
36 Thomson Drive, Bearsden.
I WAS disappointed in Johnston Mackay’s obituary on the Rev Dr Laurence Whitley. Choosing to focus on the struggles in his ministry, this article totally missed the essence of this remarkable, spiritual and self-effacing minister who enriched congregations across Scotland, with no mention of how he quietly and prayerfully overcame the challenges of his ministry.
Marilyn Ross,
43 Woodyett Road, Busby.
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