Chris Harley

CHEMISTRY greatly respects catalysts; they facilitate the way things are to go, while staying steadfastly themselves inside the fray. Chris Harley was such a catalyst for his own community of Ross and Cromarty, and more widely, too. He was schooled in Edinburgh and at Gordonstoun, and the words of its celebrated headmaster Kurt Hahn in his final school report proved singularly prescient: ''He has great depth and soundness . . . I have known few boys with such an unshakeable integrity. When he is tested and stretched he rises splendidly to all difficulties.''

He left Gordonstoun during the Second World War and served in the Royal Navy from 1941 to 1946, for a time commanding a gunboat. After the war he served in the Royal Naval Reserve as Lieutenant Commander and graduated from Oxford University with honours in history.

Guided by a life-long love of the Highlands, Chris gained Membership of the Town Planning Institute through the London School of Planning specifically to equip himself to work in and for the area. The forging of his bond to Ross and Cromarty began in 1951, when he became Depute from Edinburgh to Sir Frank Mears and Robert Hurd, planning consultants respectively to mainland Ross and the Isle of Lewis. He was a pioneer of development work in the Highlands, taking communities as he found them as the basis on which to build. County Development Officers were his brainchild, and he took up the first such post when he was appointed County Planning and Development Officer in 1958, and moved to Strathpeffer. Leaving this post in 1972, his role changed to Development Consultant, allowing him to continue his involvement in social and economic development and at the same time undertake work for the Central

Research unit of the Scottish Office.

In 1980 he became secretary/ organiser to the Ross and Cromarty Council of voluntary service. He was at various times a General Trustee of the Church of Scotland, a member of the policy committee of the Scottish Council of voluntary organisations, and a council member of the Scottish Consumer Council, with special interests in Consumer Network, transport and consumers in deprived and rural areas. At the same time, he was involved in Strathpeffer's community council, community association, and for many years chaired the Victorian committee. The church was central to Chris's life and thinking. He was session clerk to the local congregation for 15 years until his death, and was active in presbytery matters. Such broad experience brought to his open heart and open house visitors from far and near, often to seek his counsel.

He retained a large measure of youthful vitality and sense of fun to the end, along with his interest in music, poetry, art, ballet, country dancing, and the local operatic society where he sang heartily. And just as his community commanded his dedication, so its hills and lochs served for his refreshment. Just once at the age of 61, he deserted them for something bigger, and made a daunting trek in Nepal as far as Everest's base camp. He is survived by his wife Mary, their four children, and the grandchildren of whom he was very proud.