TRIBUTES have been paid to an East Renfrewshire Council worker who died after contracting coronavirus.

David Cuthbertson clocked up 18 years with the local authority as a roads worker.

He spent 12 days on a ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, in Glasgow, as a result of Covid-19 infection but eventually lost his brave battle.

David, who was 58, is survived by his mum Viola and his partner Dianne McGovern.
Councillor Tony Buchanan, leader of East Renfrewshire Council, said he will be fondly remembered by his colleagues.

“Those who worked with David said he was a lovely man, always smiling and dependable and always ready to volunteer to help out,” he added.

“He will be greatly missed by his colleagues in the roads team and by those in the roads contracting unit in particular.

“Our sympathies go to his loved ones at this difficult time. He was very much in our thoughts when councillors and senior officers paused to remember all the victims of coronavirus before last month’s full council meeting.”

There was a limited attendance at David’s funeral, due to lockdown restrictions, but the procession went past his depot in Thornliebank, where 250 colleagues and friends, including a piper, formed a guard of honour.

Dianne, who is having to come to terms with life without David at their home in Giffnock, described him as her “soulmate.” 

She said: “David and I spent 17 very happy years together. We loved travelling, especially cruising.

“David also loved his cars and we enjoyed many weekend runs down the coast.

“He was a big, gentle, kind-hearted man who would help anyone out. He smiled all the time and is extremely sadly missed.”

Before joining East Renfrewshire Council, David spent seven years working on oil rigs.

He had left the Piper Alpha just two weeks before 167 people – many of them friends – died when a fire tore through the rig in July 1988.

Mum Viola added: “I picture him with that big smile. To think I’ll never see him again, it’s not real.

“David was only 58, so I just don’t think it was fair he was taken away.”