Death of former Caldervale rector

Oct 8 2008 by Charlie Rowney, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

TRIBUTES have flooded in for ‘inspirational’ former Caldervale High rector Alistair MacLeod, who died recently at the age of 70.

His funeral service at Broomknoll Church in the town centre, where he had been an elder for 25 years, was packed with family, friends and colleagues paying their respects to the much-loved teacher following his courageous battle with cancer.

Members of Monklands Light Opera, which he co-founded, dedicated last week’s run of the musical Summer Holiday to his memory.

He was also remembered with a minute’s silence at the recent meeting of North Lanarkshire Council, for whom he was the Church of Scotland representative on the learning and leisure services committee.

Reverend Alex Cunningham paid tribute at his funeral, saying: “Alistair devoted his very full life to three things – faith, education and above all, to his family.

“His influence was widespread and permeated every area of his life; many of the letters the family have received have given personal details of the inspirational effect he had on so many people.”

Alistair had lived in Cairnhill with his wife Fiona and was the proud father of Aileen and Stuart, father-in-law of Karen and grandfather of Caitlin.

Born in Dennistoun and educated at Jordanhill College School and Glasgow University, he arrived at Airdrie Academy in 1961 as a young French teacher.

He taught at the school for 13 years, becoming a senior housemaster; and while there, he introduced its pupils to the joys of both rugby and opera.

The popular teacher left in 1973 to become head of administration at newly-opened Caldervale, and became rector six years later, a post he held for almost two decades until retiring in 1998.

He organised numerous exchange visits between the Airdrie school and Lycee Georges Sand in his “adopted second home” of France, and 14 years ago became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in recognition of his services to education.

Alistair helped a group of enthusiastic ex-students to set up the new Airdrie Academy former pupils’ amateur operatic society, which later changed its name to Monklands Light Opera.

He became the group’s first producer with co-founder Betty Pearson becoming musical director, and he took charge of their first 10 shows, beginning with their stage debut with The Mikado in 1974.

Although he later retired from that role to concentrate on his career as head teacher, he became honorary president of the club; and last week’s show was staged in the Caldervale school theatre which he helped to design.

He worked tirelessly in the service of Broomknoll Church, and at the time of his death, chaired both its education and nominating committees.

Rev Cunningham said: “Alistair was never happier than in the company of his family, to whom he was totally devoted.

“He was a very talented man who achieved success in everything he was interested in, and his was a life well-lived, to the full.

“When he passed away so suddenly at the end, his beloved granddaughter Caitlin stated, with a wisdom well beyond her 12 years, ‘Papa has gone home to the very place he worked all his life to get to’.”