Kenneth Munro, the former head of the European Commission in Scotland and a close friend of Donald Dewar and John Smith, has died aged 71.
Born in Glasgow in 1936 and educated at Hutchesons' Grammar School, Kenneth met his future wife, Elizabeth, at their local church when he was 17 and she was 15. The couple married in 1961.
He studied politics and economics at Glasgow University, g
raduating with honours in 1963. As soon as he entered the university he joined the Labour club. He studied at the same time as Donald Dewar and Menzies Campbell and they often took part in debates together.
The family moved to Essex where Kenneth worked as industrial relations manager for Ford. He was later elected Labour member of Brentwood District Council.
A passionate advocate of closer ties with Europe, Kenneth started working for the European Commission in 1974. He was deputy head of its office in London between 1982 and 1988.
In 1988, he was appointed head of its representation in Scotland. The family moved first to Haddington, then Aberlady, then settled in Morningside in 1992. He regularly supported the European Union in the media.
Kenneth became an honorary fellow of the law faculty of Edinburgh University and was also a member of the committee which promoted raising Queen Margaret College to university status.
After his retirement, he became convener of Scotland in Europe and director of Our Europe. In 1999, he was appointed a member of the Royal Commission on the reform of the House of Lords.
He was also close friends with John Smith and Donald Dewar and was profoundly affected by their deaths.
Kenneth was diagnosed with cancer a year ago and died at home, surrounded by his family, on Tuesday.
His widow Elizabeth said: "He was very proud to be Scottish and he was a very keen European. He always said it was fantastic that they paid him to work for the European Commission, as it was just the right job for him.
"He was very active in politics all his life. He was very pleased with the result of the referendum on the Scottish Parliament, and we have the date on a stained glass window in our house.
"In his last few years he was registered blind, but he managed to conceal it for a long time. When he was diagnosed with cancer, we made the best of the time he had left. He loved walking, and he was devoted to his children and grandchildren."
He leaves two daughters, Elizabeth and Catriona, and six grandchildren. He will be buried at Aberlady Cemetery tomorrow, with a service of thanksgiving at St Giles' Cathedral.
The full article contains 459 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
