THE wife of one of Scotland's most notable businessmen and philanthropists has paid tribute to her "kind, charitable and devoted" husband after his death from lung disease.

Donald Storrie died on Saturday morning at Glasgow's Marie Curie Hospice – a centre that was only built thanks to three years of tireless fundraising by the former estate agent.

The 69-year-old, who sold his estate agency in 1987 for £15 million and later became known for his charitable work, had been suffering from pulmonary fibrosis for five years and took ill five weeks ago while on a cruise with his wife May.

Mrs Storrie said his death felt like "slamming into a brick wall" but added that it was fitting he spent his last few days in the centre that was one of his biggest achievements.

Speaking from the family home in Thorntonhall, Glasgow, she said: "It was all very peaceful at the end. We were all with him.

"He was a patron of Marie Curie and the man who raised the £16m for them to build the new hospice. When the doctor mentioned the hospice, Donald said that's where he wanted to be.

"He always told me that his proudest achievements were his two boys, but I would say his proudest achievement was the hospice, and all the nurses said to me when he was there 'this building is him' because he put so much of his life into it.

"The director of nursing actually said to me she doesn't think he realised just how many people's lives he touched."

Mr Storrie worked as a policeman and a salesman before setting up Donald Storrie Estate Agents with his wife in the early 1970s.

The couple built up a total of 32 offices in Scotland before selling the company to Nationwide in 1987. Mr Storrie then took on responsibility for 300 offices throughout the UK, but after a while decided to buy his business name back and set up again in Hamilton, Lanarkshire.

The couple, originally from Lanarkshire, retired a number of years ago, leaving their youngest son Stuart to run the business, but Mr Storrie went on to take up posts with various charitable organisations.

Mrs Storrie said: "Retiring was not in Donald's nature. He was a busy man right up till the end – even managing the Saints and Sinners race night at Hamilton just days before he died. He was still organising things, even speaking through his oxygen mask giving us all our orders and writing out things that had to be done.

"He was a hugely charitable man and everyone I've spoken to over the last few days has said he was a kind man, a good man, always ready to help anybody who was down on their luck.

"He has left a big hole not only in our lives, but the lives of everyone who knew him."

She added that her husband was a devoted family man who doted on his sons, Stuart and Grahame, and grandsons Jack, seven, and Bruce, five.

She said the family were extremely proud of his achievements, which included being given the Sir Bill Cotton award two years ago for his contribution to Marie Curie Cancer Care.

He was also a freeman of Glasgow and London.

Around 600 people are expected to attend Mr Storrie's funeral service at Orchardhill Parish Church, Giffnock, on Saturday at 11am, which will follow a private family committal.