Reverend Stuart MacQuarrie, former chaplain of Rangers Football Club, Glasgow Warriors rugby club and the University of Glasgow, has passed away aged 70.
Born in Easterhouse, he spent much of his life in Rutherglen where he was heavily involved in local politics and was elected as a Labour councillor.
Revered MacQuarrie was instrumental in bringing Nelson Mandela to Glasgow for a visit in 1993, not long after his release from imprisonment on Robben Island and the year before he became the first president of democratic South Africa.
He told the Rutherglen Reformer in 2016: "It was terrific to meet him, spend those three days with him and go everywhere with him. He had a wonderful sense of humour, even after everything that had happened.
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"We talked about various things along with politics. He was very knowledgeable about football and knew about Rangers and Celtic, although it would be unfair to say he supported one over the other."
Reverend MacQuarrie spent 19 years as the chaplain for the University of Glasgow, hanging up his robes in 2020.
During his time in the position he played a key role in inter-faith discussions, ministered weddings at Bute Hall, and led countless graduation ceremonies.
He was well known for his association with Rangers, often leading the service of remembrance for victims of the Ibrox disaster.
Revered MacQuarrie was in attendance as a supporter on January 2 1971 when a crush in a stairway during an Old Firm match against Celtic led to the death of 66 home fans.
He oversaw numerous weddings in the stadium, and led the memorial service for club legend Walter Smith when he passed away in 2021.
In 2020, when he stepped down as chaplain of the University of Glasgow, he cited an ecumenical moment as summing up his time with the institution.
He told the Glasgow Times: "Shoket Aksi, our Muslim chaplain, presented a reading from the Qur'an during a service to mark the opening of the 2014 Commonwealth Games and explained what it was, doing it in his lovely chanting way.
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"Immediately up after him was Rabbi Rubin and the two of them stood at the top of the steps in the university chapel and shook hands warmly.
"In some ways, that handshake represented everything I had hoped to achieve as chaplain of Glasgow University.
“It was at the height of the Gaza conflict and it represented something uniquely special; two people being in a sacred space and feeling confident and able to do that.
“That, for me, sums up the university and what it means for students who come from all across the world to study there.”
Rangers Chairman, John Bennett, said: “Myself and all the staff at Rangers are so very saddened to hear this news.
"From when I first became a director of the club, I developed a very warm relationship with Stuart, and I, like so many others before and present, greatly valued his company, his counsel and his friendship.
“Stuart will be greatly missed by all at the club, and our thoughts are with his family and his many friends at this sad and difficult time.”
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