OBITUARY

Evening Star, Issue 23678, 11 September 1940, Page 6

OBITUARY

MR DONALD MATHESON The death occurred on Monday of Mr Donald Matheson, aged 86, who was a prominent member of local Scottish societies. Bora at Plocton, Scotland, he came to New Zealand as a mariner of the crew of the ship Auckland, and, giving up the sea, settled in Dunedin. He was a foundation member and a life member of the Gaelic Society, and was a director for some years of the Caledonian Society of Otago. Deeply interested in the piping and dancing of his native land, he was an active member for years cf the Piping and Dancing Association, and later adjudicated at many competitions. In liis younger davs Mr Matheson played for the Union Football Club. For some years ho was employed as a yardman with Messrs Findlay and Murdoch, whose premises were on the site of the present 1 Evening Star ’ building, and also worked with Messrs Hogg and Co. As a member of the staff of the Otago Harbour Board for some time he assisted in the building of some of the earliest of the Dunedin wharves. He is survived by three sons and oue daughter and by five grandchildren and four great grandchildren. The Gaelic Society and other Scottish societies were represented yesterday at the funeral, a piper playing a lament. MRS JESSE PARKER Mrs J essie Parker, whose death occurred recently in her eighty-third year, was born in Airdrie, Scotland. With her parents, Mr and Mrs Robert Waugh, she arrived at Melbourne in 1860 by the ship Empire of Peace, and at Dunedin in 1865 by the Gotenburgh. Since then she had been a resident of Stirling. Her husband, Mr Thomas Parker, predeceased her 12 years ago. Though for years, because her bodily strength had failed, she was confined to her home, her mind remained bright' and her fine qualities of heart and mind won for her a high place in the affections of her friends. She. leaves a family of six sons and six daughters, 10 grandchildren, and four great-grand-children.