Tributes paid following sudden death of young dad
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A WICK chemist who died just five months after becoming a father "would have made a fantastic dad" according to one of his closest friends.
David Dunn’s friend and employer Colin Clark described the tragic 40-year-old as "one of life’s true gentlemen" and said his death on Friday had "shocked and saddened" staff and the wider community.
"We all knew Davie was gravely ill but we never thought it would come to this," Mr Clark told the Caithness Courier.
Mr Dunn, who was the pharmacy manager at the Pulteneytown Pharmacy in Macarthur Street, became a dad for the first time in June.
Just a few weeks later he was admitted to Caithness General Hospital in Wick and was then transferred to Raigmore in Inverness before being moved to a specialist skin facility in Livingston in West Lothian. Sadly, his condition deteriorated and he died on Friday.
"He was so looking forward to becoming a father and would have been a fantastic dad," said Mr Clark who knew Mr Dunn since they were students at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen in the early 1990s.
Mr Dunn, who stayed in Lindsay Place, was born in Glasgow but grew up in Nairn and had lived in Wick for about 12 years. He came north to work at Boots and was later employed by NHS Highland before taking up his post with Pulteneytown Pharmacy more than four years ago.
"He ran the shop as if it was his own and that is the best you can ask for," said Keith-based Mr Clark.
"He was so professional and was so fully committed to the job. He was an ideal employee. Davie was great with the customers and the staff and very, very well respected.
"Staff are shocked and saddened by what has happened and will miss him greatly."
Arrangements for the funeral have still to be finalised but Mr Clark said the Pulteneytown Pharmacy would be closed as a mark of respect. Mr Dunn was a keen footballer and a Rangers fan. He played for the Francis Street Club county league team and was involved with Wick Academy as under-19s manager and on the committee. Local football fans paid their own tribute to him at the weekend. A minute’s silence was held before the start of Academy’s Highland League fixture against Keith at Harmsworth Park on Saturday.
A minute’s silence was also observed at Recreation Park in Halkirk prior to the North Caley League derby between Halkirk and Thurso.
Academy chairman Colin Stewart extended the club’s sympathy and condolences to Mr Dunn’s widow Karen, daughter Kelsey and family.
"What has happened is so sad," said Mr Stewart, who said Mr Dunn was "well-liked" and "very much respected."
He added: "He had a long association with the club and his legacy will live on in the players he coached on to bigger and better things such as Shane Sutherland who now plays with Inverness Caley Thistle in the Scottish Premier League. Other young players including, Michael (Joe) Steven, James More and Bryan McKiddie broke into the first team.
"We had a minute’s silence for Davie before Saturday’s game against Keith. Our victory against them put us to the top of the league and Davie would have been delighted with that.
"We appreciated what Davie did for Wick Academy over the years and his legacy will live on in the players who are now in the first team.
"He was also involved with summer football and was well-liked and very much respected."
Raymond Harper, who played and managed the Francis Street Club football team for a number of years, said he was "shocked" by Mr Dunn’s death.
"He was a lovely guy and was well-liked. He would do anything for anyone. Davie played for the club for about 15 years and had a sweet left foot. He also served on the committee for a while and was always willing to help out with fundraising initiatives and often came up with innovative ideas," Mr Harper told the Caithness Courier.
"Davie enjoyed the crack with the boys. Nobody had a bad word to say about him. It is a tragedy what has happened. I feel so much for his wife and family," added Mr Harper.
