Dr Bill Macfarlane Smith passed away unexpectedly, but peacefully, in December 2024, aged 82 years. Our deepest condolences and thoughts are with Bill’s wife Daphne, their sons Edward, Peter and Alexander, who are all Former Pupils of the High School and the wider family.
Bill left the High School of Dundee in 1960. A graduate of the Universities of Aberdeen and Reading, he maintained his links with the school over many years, having a major involvement with the Old Boys’ Club, the Patrons, the Trust Fund Appeal and the Parents’ Association. He was a vital member of The School’s Board of Directors for many years, serving as Vice-Chairman until 2009 when he stepped down to to free up time for his position as District Governor of Rotary District 1010. In this context he gave exceptional service through his membership of Dundee Rotary over many years and right up until his death.
An avid mountaineer, Bill was inspired by a chance meeting with Chris Bonnington and decided to hike the perilous paths to Everest Base Camp. We were very fortunate as a school that in 2020, Bill penned a marvellous article about his adventure of a lifetime in the School’s Schola Clara magazine and you can read the full article here.
Bill had a background in plant breeding and genetics and was an Honorary Research Fellow at the Scottish Crop Research Institute at Invergowrie, now known as the James Hutton Institute. Throughout his career he served on a number of industry and government committees on crop production and improvement. Prior to retirement, he was SCRI’s Head of Scientific Liaison and Information Services (SLIS).
Following his stroke in 2018, he became a strong advocate for stroke survivors through his work with Dundee Stroke Exercise Club and Tayside MCN Stroke Voices.
Bill was a warm, caring, family man with a fierce intellect and an absolute commitment to the power of education to transform. We are very proud to have been able to count him amongst our Former Pupils and his legacy lives on in his sons and all those on whom he had such a positive impact. We will miss him very much indeed.
