Hundreds of people packed into a north-east church to pay their final respects to Bruce Ferguson, the “remarkable” past president of Turriff Show.
Mr Ferguson, 61, died on March 7 while out on his farm at Ardmiddle Mains with his sudden death sorely felt by the close-knit agricultural community.
Yesterday, the Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney, The Right Rev Dr Robert Gillies, led a funeral service at St Andrew’s Parish Church, which was attended by around 500 mourners.
The second hall had to be opened in the church to accommodate those who wanted to attend.
Bishop Gillies spoke of Mr Ferguson’s passions in life – his family and his work to improve Turriff – during his funeral.
He said: “Our intention in this celebration is to give thanks for the life of this quite remarkable man.
“Bruce was essentially a family man, committed to everything he took part in, not least to serving and seeking to improve that community of which he was such a widely respected part.
“Few people have been as uniformly respected across such a wide spread and spectrum of interests as he has been.”
Last year, Mr Ferguson was awarded the Royal Northern Agricultural Society’s award for outstanding service to the North-east farming industry
He was a long-serving secretary of the Turriff Show and president last year when the Queen visited for its 150th Anniversary.
Mourners were told of Mr Ferguson’s love of curling and bridge, his sharp wit and his love of humour in the everyday life.
Bishop Gillies said: “Bruce’s sharp wit focused in seeing the humour in the everyday movement and swirl of life rather than passing on jokes that he received. It was a trait that simultaneously could merriment whilst at the same time draw in breath,” Reverend Gillies added.
“And yet he was a competitor as well. Committed to winning, but gracious in defeat. Curling was a love, so too was bridge and let it not go unsaid woe betide you if you played a careless hand in his presence.
“He had a sharp eye for detail, tidiness and attention for the finer things. Bruce had, through the symmetry or architecture, through the husbandry of the land and through the elegance of the garden – as well as his collegial sharing with everyone around him – sought to put the gifts and the wisdom that God had given to him to the betterment of the community of which he was such an integral part.”
Mr Ferguson is survived by his wife, Kate, who had been a constant figure by his side at numerous events over the years.
The couple’s son, Andrew, runs the family’s farm on a day-to-day basis, while their daughter Lisa works as a pharmacist in London and is also a noted athlete.