David Ropper Obituary, Death-It is with great sadness we bring you the news of the passing of David Ropper who attended PGS from 1941-1954. He was Dux, Head Boy and Rugby Captain.
The following text was prepared by David Junior.
My Dad, David, died peacefully this morning. He was 86 years old and had been slowing down of late. For someone who had 3 kids on 3 continents, amazingly, at the end Beth, Carol and I were with Mum by his bedside.
Over the years he had a few medical challenges, but always powered through. Unfortunately he didn’t recover from a bad fall mid-December.
Dad was born in 1936 Gallowhill and grew up in Paisley – Princess Crescent, Whitehaugh. He attended Paisley Grammar, P1 to S6, and graduated from Glasgow University MB ChB with a BSc in Physiology.
He first met Mum, Christine, at Penilee Playing Field; mum playing hockey for Greenock Academy, Dad captaining rugby for PGS. Their first meeting was fleeting, but they met again at the Western Infirmary, where Dad was a SHO, my mother a RN; romance and marriage in 1965 followed.
Career-wise after a stint in General Practice in Well St, Paisley, Dad moved the family to Thunder Bay, Ontario, where we spent 4 years; part General Practice, part Internal Medicine. He talked fondly of working with the local indigenous tribe and the shipping and grain storage workers – lots of work related injuries!
The family then moved back to Paisley, and after a stint at the Southern and Gartnavel, Dad started in Geriatrics at the Royal Alexandria Infirmary (RAI), which became Hospital (RAH). He remained there until he took advantage of early retirement in 1994 moving to Campbeltown, Argyll, where we’d vacationed at every opportunity as a family.
Dad spent a wonderful 28 years there with Mum at ‘Pennygown’ until they moved to Edinburgh in 2021 to be close to Beth and her family.
With 4 grandsons in 3 continents, Dad traveled regularly with Mum to Australia and the US as well as up the road and across to Edinburgh.
Aside from being a dedicated Doctor, Dad was a music lover, a talented piper, a steam locomotive/steamship expert, all-round historian and a sharp wit.
Most of all he took a real interest in people and had an ability to talk to anyone and everyone. He spoke German and Russian well and could get by in French, Italian and Spanish.
A well loved Husband, brilliant Father/Grandfather, Friend and Carer.
A kind and quiet man but a loud and human communicator.
We’ll miss you, Dad!