TRIBUTE: MFR presenter who started the network in Highlands
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One of the founder members of Moray Firth Radio (MFR) radio has passed away.
Former radio presenter Gary Maclean has died, aged 64, after suffering a brain aneurysm.
Mr Maclean went on from working on the radio to becoming a popular porter at Inverness' Raigmore Hospital.
He was born in Inverness and attended Central Primary and Inverness High School.
His wife Linda said: “He left school as soon as he could. Before he went to work on the radio, he did a few different jobs. He made curling stones and worked at McDermott’s Yard in Ardersier.”
Mrs Maclean said she met her future husband when he became a DJ hosting discos around the north of Scotland. The couple married in 1984 in Trinity Church in Inverness.
She said: “He was very busy with discos and from there he got into hospital radio, which he loved doing.”
Along with three others, they applied for a radio licence, which would go on to be MFR.
Mrs Maclean said: “They were given a licence and Gary was one of the presenters, he did all of the shows over the years, and he loved it.”
In 1988, Mr Maclean moved to Bristol to continue his radio career.
Mrs Maclean said: “We loved it in Bristol, we made lots of friends and we were sad to leave in 1995 when the radio station was sold. Gary was offered another job in radio – but we decided that we wanted to move home to Inverness.”
After a second stint at MFR came to an end, Mrs Maclean said: “I was working in Raigmore at the time and I saw an advert for a hospital porter. He loved speaking to people.
"He worked in the A&E department. He was very caring.”
When Mrs Maclean retired six years ago, due to MS, Mr Maclean became her primary carer. In his spare time he enjoyed angling on the River Ness.
Mrs Maclean said: “I don’t know what we are going to do without him. He will be missed by everyone who knew him.”
Mr and Mrs Maclean have two sons, Matthew (32) and Jamie (25).
