A chartered surveyor by profession and a natural leader of men, he opened the Glasgow office of DM Hall, one of Scotland’s leading independent firms of chartered surveyors, in the early seventies.

Later, in 1985, he was made Senior Partner, a role he relished as he imposed DM Hall’s footprint throughout Scotland with a swathe of new office openings to meet the rising demands of homeowners.

A long-term member of Bothwell Castle Golf Club, and ultimately its Honorary President, John was an aficionado of all sports and oversaw his firm’s ambitious sponsorship of many sporting tournaments and events throughout Scotland, not only the Dunhill Cup at St Andrews, but also indoor athletics at Glasgow’s Kelvin Hall, and many more.

With his imposing physical presence and booming voice, John was for some a daunting figure. Those who knew him, however, recognised a kind, considerate, and thoughtful man who though immersed in the complexities of running a dynamic professional firm, always had time to advise, guide and mentor younger colleagues.

Away from the office, John’s house in Bothwell, which was close to his beloved golf club, was always a warm, welcoming home in which life with his family, wife Janellen and daughters, Katie and Jo, was precious.

John stepped down as a partner in the firm and into a comfortable retirement in 2003 and while, for most of the 200 or so employees of DM Hall he is known now only by reputation, a clutch of older partners in the firm remember him with great affection.

Alan Gordon, current Senior Partner, said: “Although John Young left DM Hall, DM Hall never left John Young. He was, a major architect of the firm we know today, a huge presence, and a man who never demanded, but always commanded the respect of his colleagues and peers. His legacy continues today with the significant number of Partners still in the business who owe their careers in DM Hall and the Chartered Surveying profession to the opportunity handed to them by JY many years ago. His wise influence continued long into his retirement, and will be sorely missed.”

John H. Young, Former Senior Partner, DM Hall Chartered Surveyors 1941 – 2021

(NB Due to current restrictions, only a limited number may attend the church service on Friday 2nd July from 1.15pm. The link for the service is youtube.com/bothwellchurch with a celebration of life service at 1.30pm)