He would not have wanted it any other way, say family after death of prominent local farmer
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A large number of the farming community showed their respect for Morris Ronaldson of Westerseat, Wick, when they gathered at the graveside for his funeral in the town last Friday (November 12).
It was a touching tribute to Mr Ronaldson, a well-known local farmer who died suddenly at his home on Sunday, November 7, and showed the esteem he was held in throughout the county.
Mr Ronaldson was well-known in the local community and was easily recognisable in his customary white cap. He had been out checking round the steading, one of his normal morning chores, when he passed away.
His family said: "He would not have wanted it any other way."
Farming was firmly in his blood coming from a long generation with an interest in agriculture – there were dairy farmers on both sides of his family as well as a long-held tradition with horses.
Born on February 1, 1944, at Hillhead Farm, Wick, he went on to spend the first two years of his life living at Blingery with his family. They then moved to Westerseat where the Ronaldsons had a long connection, both his father and uncle were great horsemen with a riding school being run at the farm after World War II and young horses were taken in for selling on.
After initially starting his education at the North School, Wick, he went to Aberlour House, linked with Gordonstoun. While away at school his interest with horses strengthened, receiving riding lessons from the late Marjorie Walker from Walker Shortbread, Aberlour.
He returned home about 1959/60 to start his own farming career at Westerseat, where he took on a variety of jobs, including relief milkman and went on to play a pivotal role in the dairy side of the enterprise in which the family ran a retail and delivery service – Westerseat Ideal Dairies. They sold milk in Wick, initially delivered by horse and cart, then progressing to electric milk floats in the 1950s, believed to be the first in the north.
In 1967 Mr Ronaldson married Marigold and they set up home along the road at Markethill, one of the family's other farms. This was where the dairy was initially started around 1917/18 by his grandfather George Ronaldson, who had been a butcher in the town – in 1933 he took on the tenancy of Westerseat and that's when the dairy began to take off.
During Mr Ronaldson's career he was a director with the Caithness Livestock Breeders for 20 years, finishing that role in May 2006, and was a member of the local agriculture discussion group.
He was also well known for the role he played at the County Show, presiding as the captain of the sports from 1986-2006, during that time he held the title of president in 1988.
Prior to helping at the popular local agricultural show, he was a regular competitor participating in the pony races, which proved quite spectacular at that time as they were bareback, and he also excelled in the showjumping competitions winning many trophies. Many of his horses are well-remembered including – Highland Lad, Highland Lass, Silver Mist, Apollo and Phaeton. In addition to this, he had numerous successes in the dairy cattle showing classes.
He also played an active part in other local community activities, helping out at the Wick Gala over the years and he was a member of Wick Rotary Club. He was a sociable person and enjoyed meeting other farmers and having a chat with them.
He had many stories to tell about the changes at the farm over the years and amusing anecdotes, some of which can be heard in a piece he recorded for Wick Voices, the Wick Society's online oral history project in 2018.
He was a much-loved husband, father, father-in-law and grandfather extremely proud of his family and enjoyed a happy life at Westerseat.
Son William, who lives at Lower Gillock with his wife Jennifer and family, William (22), David (17) and Sarah (9), will continue to run the farm, now mainly arable, with his sons. Daughter Jane stays at Reiss Lodge with partner Alex Gunn.
The family felt it fitting to put donations from the funeral to the local Riding for the Disabled Group and contributions have still been coming in.
