TRIBUTES have been paid to a respected former Greenock councillor and local baker who has sadly passed away.

Bill Denny, who served as a councillor for Greenock East and Central in the nineties, passed away last month at the age of 94.

Hr was also a devoted husband, dad, father-in-law, grandpa and great grandpa.

Speaking to the Tele, his son Ian said: "My dad was a wise, caring and gentle man who lived life at his own pace with endless patience to listen to and help others."

Bill, whose parents were William Denny, a baker in Greenock, and his wife Mary, was born at home in Lyle Street in March 1924.

Growing up, he attended Mearns Street School and Mount High.

During his school years, Bill, who had two sisters, May and Peggy, worked in his dad's bakery and left school at 15.

As soon as he was old enough, at the age of just 18, Bill joined the Royal Air Force.

In 1942, he completed his short initial training with hopes of becoming a navigator in Bomber Command but eye tests suggested that he was night-blind which ruled him out.

Instead he joined the 135 Repairs and Salvage Unit, which helped to recover much needed damaged aircraft and get them back into service.

He was promptly sent off to India and ultimately to Burma where he became a Leading Aircraftsman and worked there until 1947 - assisting beyond the war into the recovery period.

Bill kept a meticulous photo album crammed full of pictures of every type of aircraft he worked on and his service record book has a hand-written note from his Wing Commander on his final discharge.

It says: “This airman is a skilled and served tradesman."

When he left the RAF Bill took the opportunity to travel with friends before returning home to Scotland.

Once back home he was straight back into work in his dad’s bakery business.

Six years later, in the Cragburn in Gourock, Bill met Ida McAuslan, the woman he was to spend the rest of his life with.

Ida worked as a comptometer operator in James Lithgow’s Glen Yard in Port Glasgow.

They married in September 1955, in West Church, Port Glasgow and had a reception in Mackays’ Tearoom, later to become The Lorne.

As was often the custom then, they returned to live in Bill’s parents’ house, which was part of the family business.

Ida would be drawn in to help run the Denny's Baker shop in Lynedoch Street, which at its peak employed around 12 staff.

One year after the wedding, Ida gave birth to the couple's first son Alistair and nine years later, his little brother Ian arrived.

Despite the demands of running a busy bakery, Bill was a devoted dad and the family would often pile into the car on a Saturday and set off for Arrochar where they had a caravan.

Bill was also a founder member of Greenock Sub Aqua Club and was often called out to Scotts dry dock to salvage dropped tools or scrap metal which had caused the dock gates to jam.

He ploughed on with work at the bakery and did not think of a retirement option until the decision was taken out of his hands at 66, after the council began compulsory purchase orders on buildings in the area to commence housing improvements.

Bill narrowly won the 1992 council election for Greenock East & Central and served as a councillor until 1995.

During his time as a Liberal Democrat councillor, he served mainly on the housing committee because he was keen to be a voice for those who could not afford decent accommodation.

He contested council elections in 1995 and 1999 but failed to get re-elected.

Two years later, Bill was thrust into the political spotlight again after witnessing LibDem candidate Chic Brodie shot with an air gun during a campaign visit to Greenock.

In the years after serving as a councillor, Bill then went on to serve on the Children's Panel Advisory Committee for nine years and he also went to James Watt College where he sat Highers in English, biology and modern studies.

During this time the family had moved their caravan experience from Arrochar to Millport where the family spent over 30 years enjoying weekends and extended holidays.

This Millport connection influenced a decision for Bill and Ida to move to Largs.

The couple enjoyed many happy years in Largs where Ida could be closer to her beloved brother Jim and his wife Margaret.

Whilst in Largs, Bill ended up teaching elderly ladies, who had a fear of water, how to swim for the first time in their lives and was given an award for his 28 years of voluntary teaching swimming to youngsters in a youth club in Gourock at St Columba’s High.

The couple then moved to Callander in 2012 where Bill became a carer to Ida, who suffered from dementia.

Two years later, Ida passed away and Bill was alone for the first time in 57 years.

But he maintained his independence until a recent fall which meant him going into hospital.

Again he was recovering but a second accident was too much for him and he died on July 21 in Stirling Community Hospital.

A celebration of Bill's life was held at Greenock Crematorium on Thursday August 2.

His family say they are grateful for all the cards, phone calls, and messages of sympathy they have received.