Former Caithness solicitor ended life 'on his own terms'
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Solicitor Bruce de Wert was able to end his life "with dignity" and "on his own terms", according to his family.
Mr de Wert, who for many years ran the Wick-based law firm Georgesons, died last Thursday at a clinic in Switzerland. He was 69.
He had been suffering from primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) and retired as senior partner at Georgesons almost three years ago.
His daughter Nicole de Wert-Wightman said: "He died at a clinic in Switzerland where he was able to end his life with dignity and on his own terms.
"He made the difficult decision after many years of battling PPMS. He could see that in the very near future he would be confined to a bed, needing round-the-clock care and no longer able to take part in the things he loved. That isn't something he wanted for himself."
Mr de Wert leaves behind his wife Collette, his two daughters Leoni and Nicole, and four grandchildren.
After retiring from Georgesons, Mr de Wert and his wife moved to the Glasgow area to be closer to their family.
A memorial event will be held on Wednesday, March 13, at 11am, at the Parkville Hotel, 296 Glasgow Road, Blantyre, G72 9DG.
Originally from Oxford, Mr de Wert studied at Strathclyde University and worked in Glasgow and Edinburgh before moving to Wick in 1984 as a court solicitor.
He was quick to see the potential of giving Georgesons solicitors and estate agents an online presence when the internet was relatively new. “Mine was, I believe, the second estate agency online in Scotland and I think the first to do videos,” he once said.
Mr de Wert also had online services providing wills and powers of attorney.
Away from work he enjoyed cycling, running, swimming, squash, tennis, windsurfing, boating and flying.
Last year, Highland law firm Munro and Noble incorporated Georgesons into its business – a move that brought together around 250 years of legal experience.
Mary Nimmo, senior partner of Munro and Noble, said: "We are all very sorry to hear that Bruce de Wert passed away after a courageous battle with PPMS.
"Mr de Wert served Caithness and beyond for decades and was a larger-than-life character who will be missed by his family, friends and clients. Our thoughts are with them all."
In an interview in 2021, announcing his decision to step down from Georgesons, Mr de Wert spoke openly about his PPMS diagnosis and the impact it was having on his mobility.
“Life owes you nothing,” he said at the time. “I’ve had a wonderful life, and you know what? It’s going to carry on for a while.
“Okay, inevitably I will be in a wheelchair. Inevitably I won’t be able to drive. I can’t do anything about it. But you accept these things and you get on with it, because life is like that.”
He added: “I just love Caithness, and it has been very good to me. I’ve loved my time here. As a lawyer, you really couldn’t ask for better.”
