Murdoch Maclean Macleod

Murdoch Maclean Macleod, age 89, set sail for Tir nan og, land of the ever young, on Saturday, September 21, 2013. Mac was a dyed in the wool Scot. He was born in Ullapool, a small fishing village in the north of Scotland. During WWII, he proudly served in the British Royal Air Force and flew 33 missions. After demobilization, he worked as a forester on the west coast of Scotland where he met and married the lovely Margaret Plowman. They immigrated to the United States in 1956 with their young daughter. His two passions were trees and the Great Highland Bagpipe. He was a tree surgeon and ran his own company for 30 years. Along with 4 others, he founded the Fairhill Colonial Highland Gathering and acted as either convener or president for the next 50 years. He dedicated his life to improving the standards of bagpiping by founding the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association and the United States Piping Foundation. In 1995, he was awarded the Balvenie Medal in Scotland for his services to the piping world. In 2010, he was inducted into the EUSPBA Circle of Honor. Up until his 88th year, he continued his annual pilgrimage to the Glenfiddich Piping Competition at Blair Castle, Scotland. He enjoyed a good laugh and had a joke for every occasion. He was a talented woodworker, a great storyteller, and a gifted singer. He will be remembered for his love of cribbage, crosswords, the cryptic byword, and a cuppa’ strong tea. The family would like to thank Heartland Hospice and Griswold Home Care for their many kindnesses. He is predeceased by his wife, Margaret Macleod (nÃ©e Plowman) and his brother, Angus Macleod. He is survived by his three daughters and their husbands, Catriona and Stuart Binder-Macleod, Deirdre and Duncan Bonnell, and Rowena Macleod and Mark Wygent; and grandchildren, Benjamin Binder-Markey (wife Caitlin), Rina Binder-Macleod, Maclean Nagaswami, and Fiona Iyer. A memorial service and reception will be held on Saturday, October 26, 2013, beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 292 West Main Street, Newark, DE 19711. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the United States Piping Foundation, Attn: Maclean Macleod Memorial Scholarship Fund, 735 Michell Street, Ridley Park, PA 19078-3721.

Murdoch Maclean Macleod

October 18, 1923 - September 21, 2013