Jim Cruickshank, 1936-2009

Ex-Chairman of the RSPBA, Jim Cruickshank died suddenly at the age of 72 at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary on the morning of October 15, 2009. He endured a stroke in Spain at in December 2008, and had fought back to good health until another stroke and a minor heart attack a few days later.

 

Jim Cruickshank was made Chairman of the RSPBA in 2000, and spent much of his life as Chairman and National Council representative, with his wife, Ruby, for the North of Scotland Branch of the association. Jim encouraged his family to take up an instrument and his three daughters all played with ladies pipe bands in and around Aberdeen.

 

Linda Cruickshank played pipes with the Bon Accord and Aberdeen Ladies pipe bands, while Moira was a very good snare-drummer, also with the Aberdeen Ladies, Fraser Ladies and Deeside Ladies bands. His youngest daughter, Fiona Cruickshank, was the Pipe-Major of the most successful all-female pipe band in the world, the Deeside Ladies. As Pipe-Major she won every championship with them in Grade 3 and Grade 2, and then joined the Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band in 1986.

Linda, Moira and Fiona Cruickshank all married pipe bandsmen: Ian Findlay, Grant Diack and Jim Kilpatrick, respectively.

 

Jim Cruickshank and Ruby were inseparable throughout their 52 years of marriage, and much liked throughout the pipe band community. He is survived by Ruby and his children, Linda, David, Moira and Fiona, and his granddaughters, Stephanie, Jessica.

Christina and Kimberly.

 

The funeral service will take place at Aberdeen Crematorium at 1:30 pm on Friday, October 23rd.