A tribute from Julia Hickin

Read at the service by Julia Hickin, daughter of Gil Hickin, the last Owner / Managing Director of Glendermid before Dion retired.

MY FATHER

GIL HICKIN...

HELD DION IN EXTREMELY HIGH REGARD AND

WITHOUT A DOUBT

HIS DEDICATION TO THE TANNERY SINCE 1946

PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN ITS SUCCESS.

 

I REMEMBER SITTING NEXT TO  DAD AT THE DINNER TABLE AND

I COULD ALWAYS TELL WHEN HE’D BEEN OUT TO THE TANNERY THAT DAY....

FOR THAT WONDERFUL AROMA ........

WAFTING FROM HIS CLOTHES!

AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT

DIONS NAME WOULD COME UP

WITH A GREAT DEAL OF RESPECT.

 

WHEN WE WERE VERY YOUNG

AND LUCKY ENOUGH TO COME OUT TO THE TANNERY WITH DAD..WE  ALWAYS ASKED ....

“IS DION GOING TO BE THERE?”

AND WHEN HE WASN’T AROUND IT WAS ALWAYS  SUCH A DISAPPOINTMENT.

 

BECAUSE....

DION WAS THE TANNERY.

 

TO HAVE THE LOYALTY FROM SUCH LONG STANDING STAFF WAS A HUGE TESTAMENT TO DION.

 

I WAS GOING THROUGH SOME PAPERS NOT LONG AGO AND CAME ACROSS GLENDERMID’S

INVITATION TO THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF MICHAELIS HALLENSTEIN (THE FOUNDERS)

HELD HERE AT GLENFALLOCH IN 1964

AND HERE SOME OF YOU ARE, 51 YEARS LATER....

A VERY NICE CHOICE TO CELEBRATE DIONS LIFE.

 

I’M SURE YOU ARE UP THERE WITH GIL

LOOKING BACK ON THE GOOD OLD DAYS..

AND WHAT GREAT THINGS YOU BOTH ACHIEVED..

FOR SURE GIL WILL HAVE  A GIN AND TONIC IN HAND

AND ... WELL I’M NOT SURE WHAT YOUR TIPPLE

WAS DION ... ALTHOUGH YOU WILL NO DOUBT BE OUT WINDSURFING!

 

DION OMBLER    ...

 

A GENTLEMAN AND SIMPLY A SWEET SWEET MAN

 

REST IN PEACE...

 

HEC....!

 

YOU MUST BE EXHAUSTED ...

 

YOU’VE HAD A LIFE WELL LIVED

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