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His Life

Rabs Eulogy

March 26, 2019

Eulogy 

Robert Alexander Dickson was born into this world in Dundee on the 22nd day of July 1947, Rab was one of four children born to Cecil and Margaret Dickson, having one older brother, Cecil and two younger sisters Margaret and Hillary. It was from there, in the discovery city of Dundee he was raised and schooled. He had a deep love for his home city, he was passionate and delighted in sharing the history of the city with anyone who had an interest therein. 
He received early years education at Downfield, then Kirkton Primary School and carried on in the fullness of time to Harris Academy, Rab was a good student, he took to learning like a duck to water and carried on then to Dundee College of Art where he did a further five years of a degree. 
But for all that, Rab was the academic and studious type, he was unbelievably hands-on and practical as well, his dad was a local butcher, who broke his leg and was out of commission for some 12 -15 weeks, Rab walked into the family business and just got on with all that needed done and amazed everybody with his practical capabilities, considering how specialised the trade is. He was a mental, physical and practical grafter and nothing fazed him. 
It was also during those early college years that he also became president of the student council and he was the main driving force and instrumental in a lot of change there at that time, including getting the Art department allocated shower blocks, which were much needed in the department. He built up the finest stocks of much-needed tools, stationery and equipment for the department, so much his enthusiasm and drive for his subject, this is best demonstrated by the fact that he held the record for highest bill for art materials accumulated at the College shop , and as important as any of these, he was instrumental in the college of art, being accepted into and affiliated with the student union. 
The truth is he was a fantastic president, it was never just a title, he pushed for advancement and changes all the way, he was renowned for being the most popular student and rumours have it that he had no problem in pulling the chicks back then too. 
Rab often recalled a memory he had while at college when he and his best friends Gerry Nixon and Pete Maddy went to Jack McPherson's house. Jacks mum was out at the time so he invited the boys into the house. They were mucking around with a pop gun and Pete accidentally aimed at the budgie and to their horror he shot it! DEAD .. Jack knew how much the budgie meant to his mum so the boys quickly made their way to the local pet shop and purchased the closest bird they could find to somehow replace it. However, it had no spots, and Rab was assigned to paint the spots on it copying them from the dead bird. The next day Rab and Pete knocked on Jacks door only to be met by Mrs McPherson who lunged straight for Pete's ear and dragged him into the house, right up to the budgies cage saying " This is NO ma joey!!" Rab giggled silently as he got away with no blame as Mrs Mcpherson always viewed him as a nice like boy! 
When his big brother Cecil and his wife Jean got their first house, he did an amazing mural, some four feet square of the all new and freshly opened Forth Road Bridge, a talking point for all who came in and out of Cecil and Jean’s home. 
As an ongoing part of his university training, he went on to do a silver smith’s course and was commissioned to produce this amazing silver finished item for one of the churches in Glasgow, a piece of altar ware which is still used as part of regular worship in that church to this day and Rab always regarded it as his best work ever made. But of course equally went on to produce all sorts of rings, broaches and necklaces thereafter. In fact, he made a ring or necklace for every girlfriend he ever had. 
Rab took on his first teaching position at Buckhaven High School and taught art and design there from 1971 to 1989, going on from there to Glenrothes High School to take on the role of principal head of art where he continued to work until retiring early at 59 years of age in 2006. 
Rab often shared stories he fondly remembered from Buckhaven High School. 
One was when he hadn't long been teaching and a young Chinese pupil entered his class. As she couldn't talk a word of English, Rab sent for Jimmy Chung to act as an interpreter. Rab asked Jimmy to ask her if she was on a cultural visit or if she was here for the term. Jimmy went right into full Chinese mode and after what seemed a lifetime of listening to the intricate Chinese lingo, Jimmy turned around to Rab and said " she says she Disney ken " 
in the 70s Rab owned and drove a bright orange Bond Bug. One day when school finished Rab left to jump in his Bond Bug to go home to find it was missing from the school car park, after looking around somewhat bewildered, out pops some pupils who had pranked him after lifting his car into the nearing playing fields, Rab saw the funny side of course after sternly warning it wasn't to ever happen again. 
He remembers, again at Buckhaven School, one dinner time he was in his room when out of breath in runs a pupil known as Sonny Ray who was a well-known punk at that time sporting a pink Mohican, bovver boots chains and all Rab asked why he was in his room and who was he running away from? Sonny tried frantically to catch Rab's attention so as to stay a little bit longer and asked Rab "would you like to see ma wee punk mouse (moose,) Sir?, out of sheer curiosity, Rab agreed and said go on then! To his surprise, Sonny went into his pocket and produced this bright dyed pink moose with a Mohican, and earing the same as Sonny!. Rab had a good laugh and sent Sonny on his way to face his adversaries. 
When Rab was a new teacher at Buckhaven High, he soon became good friends with Robbie Watkins a fellow teacher, and Robbie gave him some tips on how to handle these Buckhaven and Methil kids, they walked into the dining hall one day and Robbie said to him, look, this is how you do it. Robbie locked eyes and stared with one of the kids and straight-faced he never flinched, never gave an inch until that bairn blurted out, " it wiznie me sir, it wiznie me " he looked at Rab laughing and said, “And that’s when you know you can do it”. 

But for all that I have to tell you, Rab had a great way with the children in his teaching care, he listened, he cared, he met the children individually where they were at, and he built so much respect at both Buckhaven High and Glenrothes High, his passion shone through and his students knew he genuinely cared and even up until the end was still receiving letters of gratitude on Facebook from pupils as far back as the early 70s . 
Outwith School, he shared moments of fun experienced while out with Jane at her many gigs. One stuck in his mind when Rab invited his friend and colleague Derek Allan to one of janes gigs, While the pair were having a pint at the bar, Jane, somewhat changed the lyrics to her song she was singing to " I'm shaving off my muff for you" Both Derek and Rab had a good chuckle while the listeners unknowingly sang along to the proper lyrics . 
In the midst of all that, he was also a keen and proficient cyclist from a young age, going on to become a member of the Strathmore Cycling Club and thought absolutely nothing of heading off out and cycling 30 to 40 plus miles at a time, He was also an Audax cyclist engaging in many competitions gaining more trophies and strength along the way. The simple truth is it didn’t matter what this man did in life, he strove to do it 100%, for example he took up darts in the mid 70s and proved to be a mighty fine darts player, designing and producing his own darts to compete with, like I said, no half measures. 
When Rab was in his 40s he took up learning to play the guitar and was somewhat bemused that particular hobby didn’t come as easy as every other challenge he rose to, but he taught himself enough chords to play and became good enough to become a member of a few bands like the Sticky fingers Ceiligh band and the Glenrothes school band with fellow colleagues . He also at one point took to the stage with Jane strumming along for a year or two in a duo he named Abilene, But Rab being a modest man, found being inthe spotlight wasn't really for him and left that for Jane to get on with. However, Right to the end of his life he still liked to pick up his beloved guitars and have a wee pick and strum for his own pastime. 

However, Jane spoke him into trying his hand at being a DJ on a Friday night as the extra money coming in would be handy. Rab agreed and set out collecting the best music collection ever and new equipment needed, DJ rigging, the lot! Rab soon had his first job as a DJ in the Royal Hotel in Dysart. What was supposed to be a one-off booking ended up him having the full residency every weekend for the year! The then owners said Rab was by far the very best DJ they ever had and all other predecessors simply played music and left to go for a smoke half the time where Rab stayed with the audience the whole time chatting away and playing their many requests. He also ended up hosting a weekly quiz at the Hotel and in true fashion had the questions and answer sheets all professionally printed out. 
In the 1980s he also found himself being drawn into motorbike racing, he loved this hobby with a passion. He and his friend Gorge Spence started stripping down their motorbikes and boring out their bikes, increasing the capacity and chamber pressure and were soon turning out bikes capable of 150 plus miles per hour, what this man couldn’t turn on a lathe wasn’t worth talking about. Both George and Rab produced some of the fastest bikes on the Knockhill and Silverstone Racing Circuit at that time. 
As a matter of fact, it was one very hot day he was at Knockhill and not having a lot of hair as protection against the sun, and with his bushy beard he sported at that time, he put a towel around his head to absorb the intense heat and he was nicknamed “The Sheik”,

Rab went on to secure Scottish Champion! in his category for three years, racing his vintage Ariel and Honda 900 to name but a few. 


No matter where Rab went, whether it be out shopping or holidays abroad, he was sure to be recognised by many ex-pupils from both schools who were all so elated to see him again and many took pride in explaining if it wasn't for him and his style of teaching they would never have secured their present positions in life some as art lecturers, architects, make up artists, teachers and more. 
Now while Rab’s first marriage did not stand the test of time, he and Janey Kirk finally did what they were destined to do and that was to be together, so in 2001 Jane and Rab got together officially, Jane came to their union with a ready-made family from her previous marriage, her two children, Carla who was 7 at that time and Adam who was 3. 
He had been surrounded with children on a daily basis, and now all of a sudden he had children in a whole new capacity, and like everything, Rab did, he rose to the challenge and became a first-class father and he and Jane raised their children with values, morals and standards. He and Adam enjoyed heading off fishing and days out as a pillion on Rab's cycles and motorbikes, Rab was always pro-active in their homework taking his time and taught them as much as they were willing to learn and when Carla came home with her artwork, he would sit and patiently teach her so much in the fine details she regularly got top marks in the whole class on submitting her work. 
Now with Janey being a singer and performing artiste, as with anything Rab tackled in life, he soon designed and produced for her this one off folding stage for taking to her performances, Jane at one point was known as the wee singer with the big stage! He studied sound and projection and became a first-class sound engineer and every detail had to be absolutely spot on, he was quite the perfectionist. He also bought the proper equipment on producing quality live performance videos. 
When Jane had her own booking agency where many singers and bands were booked throughout the country, Rab took pride in designing and printing the posters and was also very much a key player in its running and organisation 
Then as Carla grew into the music and singing career, he was right there behind her, to the point of almost leaving Janey to fend for herself at times, He took her to many of her gigs, he was her roadie, her sound engineer and indeed her bouncer, if anyone looked at his girl the wrong way when she was on stage or pushed their luck with her he would be there to the rescue.. Carla recalls, Once she was singing in a bar and Rab was sitting quietly looking on as usual, when she was approached on stage by a young guy who was trying to take her mic away and ruin her performance! Carla recalls she had never seen Rab move so fast, as he jumped and leapt over chairs and tables to go to the rescue! and of course, peace was restored. 
So yes, Rab was an artist first and foremost, but I would say he has been more involved in the music industry this last twenty years, yet he never lost that skill with an artist pallet, His last work produced was an oil portrait of Sir Jimmy Shand for his father-in-law, Bob Kirk which has hung pride in place in the home ever since, 
He was the top end of a first class Roadie as he liked to call himself," Rab the roadie" and was at his happiest running operations down to a fine art in the background, he didn’t need to, nor want to be in the limelight. 
His first holiday abroad was with Jane off to Sidari in Corfu and had an absolutely fabulous time, there were many great family Turkey, Salou, Greece, Spain, and many others and then for Janes 50th Birthday, they at last married on the 20th of June 2014 and then just the four of them, Rab, Janey, Carla and Adam jet-set off for the honeymoon, they were very much a family. 
Life in the Wemyss,? well Rab settled in very well there, he loved being part of the community and became a well known face along at the Central Hotel which was his and Janey’s local, he was soon endorsed into the local Dominoes team and in true Rab style, all or nothing, it wasn’t long before he was treasurer and doing his bit to help make the organisation, he looked forward to his Tuesday evenings for the game and the banter. 
He and Janey enjoyed their space and time as well, heading out for a nice meal on a Friday night, but inevitably finishing up back at the Central to finish their night there. And really, he got on with life for all it was worth right through ‘til this neurological condition hindered him. 
They enjoyed family holidays where he hired motorbikes and collected in turn his three, Janey, Carla and Adam and they had a wonderful time on the back of his bike visiting nearing villages and the famous Sunset Beach, so much fun was had making the most wonderful memories together. 
He enjoyed a wee whiskey at the close of a day and indeed the opportunity to sit down and enjoy playing a game of Solitaire before going off to bed, they enjoyed word games, where Rab would inevitably reach for the dictionary and win by several hundred points, you see he was always learning, right throughout life, right to the end of his life, and apart from art and silver, the rest was all self-taught. 
An incredibly practical man, building garages, walls and extensions to the home, his friend and teacher colleague, George acquired this Iroko teak wood from high school and Rab made an intricate quality staircase in his old house that runs from the living room up into the second floor of his then cottage. While at art college he made a perspex wireless which was a rare and new material at that time which became quite famous with the students. , there truly was nothing this man could not turn his hand to and do a first-class job. 
And yet such a humble man as well, Rab won many prizes, cups trophies and awards along the way, but they all lived in boxes in storage in the shed, He was never one for bragging or having that look at mindset, in Rab’s world, we are all Jock Tamson’s Bairns 
In 2016 the medical fraternity diagnosed Rab with what they said was Lewy Body Dementia, on discovering this , Janey immediately sprung into research mode and very soon had a Just Giving page up and running and to their amazement, funds immediately flooded in from former students, former teaching colleagues, friends and complete strangers, and it wasn’t long ‘til Rab and Janey were on their way to San Diego on the Pacific Coast of California for groundbreaking treatment. 
This, in spite of the fact that NHS did all they could to prevent Rab going down this road, Rab received this stem-cell treatment on the 20th of August 2016 and within 45 or so minutes, showed great improvement,
After waiting the Six months after stem cell treatment which had improved his life greatly, Rab was still showing signs of being mixed up and often confused, so sought private testing through four different laboratories and the results all came back as showing Rab was suffering with, mercury, lead and heavy metal toxins. 
And as a result of this, the last three years have been an ongoing battle with the NHS, 
Through many challenging times and Rab being denied specific tests on his swallowing issue and much more, Jane will continue to fight for him against the NHS, who played a big role in his demise 
An there is but a glimpse into this man’s life and world, his body could take no more when cancer was found in his throat despite efforts asking this to be looked into over a year ago! .. and his journey drew to a close on the 22nd of February 2019, leaving his family broken hearted, but grateful for the part he has played in moulding each one of his own into the people. 
We must draw comfort knowing that one day we will meet again and be reunited forever, never to be parted