Alexander Ritchie Murray, known as Sandy, died at the age of 95 on 29 June 2021 after a long, happy and fulfilling life. He will be remembered as a most amazing, inspirational, proud and canny Scot who was so interested and supportive of his family throughout his life.
Sandy was born on the 9May 1926 in Dundee and attended Dundee High School from 1936-43. He was passionately proud of his connections with the School, and attended numerous ‘Class of ’43’ reunions together with his fellow classmates. He went on to graduate as a Civil Engineer in 1945. He then spent three years in the Army with postings to Mecktila, Burma and Taiping. Sandy then began his 43-year career with Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners in 1948.
Sandy was a very gifted and committed engineer and dealt with many jobs including dams, bridges, harbour works, irrigation projects, water treatment plants, pipelines and largescale roadworks. His work took him all over the UK from Pitlochry, working on the Clunie Dam and Tunnel projects, to Cheltenham and then onto Edinburgh. Sandy also worked in many countries across the world, but it was his stint in Iran that he would probably consider a highlight. Posted to Tehran in 1963 as Senior Resident Engineer he was involved in building a water supply for the city, as well as numerous irrigation projects around Iran. He became the firm’s chief representative in Tehran and remained there until 1971. Sandy then returned to Gibb’s Head Office in London and was made a Partner of the firm. Sandy continued to work on a wide variety of UK projects before retiring in 1991 after 43 years with Gibb, 20 of them as a partner. An incredible full and rewarding career.
Many of Sandy’s interests were interwoven with his working life. He was an avid reader and his collection of books needed to be seen to be believed – reading remained a huge passion right until the end if his life. He particularly loved reading about Scotland. He also had a lifelong love of golf and played as a member of numerous clubs winning quite a stash of crystal and silverware! He was an ardent Scottish rugby supporter throughout his life. During his retirement he and his wife, Eilidh (1932 – 2018) were fortunate to experience several memorable holidays around the world, including to India, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand, often visiting family members. But it was in the hills and glens of the Scottish Highlands that Sandy truly felt at home. He loved planning walking and fishing trips for all the family and these inspired his wonderful Scottish poetry and sketches of the landscape that formed the basis of his watercolour paintings.
Sandy and Eilidh packed so much into their lives and they will be greatly missed by their children Fiona, Jane,
Kirsty, Angus and their families.
