The notice below was emailed to Ian Watson's friends and email contacts by his daughter Fiona. She's currently on Lamma, handling Ian's funeral arrangements and estate. She's asking Ian's legion of friends and acquaintances for stories, anecdotes, eulogies and photos for a memorial book.
A Scotsman at the age of 77 riding his bike daily through the village, in short trousers, a veteran journalist, editor and media relations specialist; more recently Chief Sub-editor for Asia Asset Management who was also involved in the launching of a brand-new print magazine for expat Scots, Ian was an inspiration to us on how to age gracefully and actively.
I've been listening to some of his wealth of fascinating stories from a colourful life and have seen his ex-soldier-in-Africa picture on his Blackberry, while chatting with him outside Lung Wah Rest., accompanied by Ian's former SCMP colleague and octogenarian Vernon.<HR>
"It is with great sadness that I am writing to tell you that my father, John Bissell (Ian) Watson passed away on Thursday, 8 December.
Late that night, Ian went to bed contented after a typically full day – working, socialising and being with family - to refresh for the challenges of another day. Just as he was about to go to sleep, he suddenly slipped away.
Ian wasn’t alone when he passed, as he spent his last evening with Josephine and his granddaughter, Kyla. Both accompanied Ian on his last journey from Lamma island in the helicopter to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital.
We believe that Ian left this world in a peaceful way, which thankfully didn’t involve suffering.
You may have already learned of this tragic news, and we appreciate your patience and sincerely apologise for the delay in getting in touch as we are still struggling to come to terms with this tremendous loss.
I will be in touch as soon as we have finalised the funeral arrangements - so that we can gather together to celebrate Ian’s very colourful life and remember him for what he meant to each one of us as a father, friend, confidante, colleague, grandfather, fellow Scotsman...
I invite you to send any anecdotes, snippets, stories, shared experiences and pictures that you may want to share to plani@iinet.net.au or contact me on +852 9144 5549.
You are in my thoughts.
Fiona Plani
Ian’s daughter"<HR>
Funeral this Sat, Dec 24, and wake in the second week of Jan. 2012, tba.
Fiona will select some of the submitted materials and has requested me to publish a eulogy and tribute to Ian in the Lamma-zine.