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Topic: Keith Blair(D)
1. Author:  GG Riva        
Date: Sat 21st Sep 2024. 07:44

The Crem was packed yesterday as hundreds of people paid their respects to Keith, who owned and worked in the Upper Millhill Garage in the town since 1971. Keith was one of a kind. There was nothing he wouldn`t do for his customers. His garage was out of the way, and he never advertised, but he was always busy. I passed my test in 1971 and took my first car to Keith for a service and MoT the following year. I never went anywhere else until recently, when Keith became too ill to carry on working. Many relatives and colleagues heard about Keith from me and became regular customers. Here`s just one story that shows what a great guy he was;

When our son got his first job in 2004, he needed a car. He couldn`t afford one, so we gave him ours and bought a newer one. Unfortunately, he seized the engine not long afterwards. Keith collected the car and said it was worth saving. He managed to get an 18 month old engine for it for a bargain £350. He hit a snag when he put the new engine in. There was a problem with a part that had been changed. He told me he had phoned Fiat for the part needed, and he`d been quoted £400. Before I could reply, he said, "We`re not paying that for it! I`ll think of something." Two days later, my son`s car was ready for collection. Keith had modified the part.

The total cost for parts and labour was a mere £550.....



Not your average Sunday League player.


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2. Author:  Buspasspar        
Date: Sat 21st Sep 2024. 08:27

Nice post and story GG .. Sounds like a special guy .. RIP Keith

We are forever shaped by the Children we once were


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3. Author:  Aylesbury_Par        
Date: Sat 21st Sep 2024. 10:33

Really sorry to hear that, Keith was one of the good guys.

It wouldn`t be unusual to pick your car up at 10 at night as he would keep working until he was finished if he knew you needed the car the following day. Never charged enough for his services. A proper old school mechanic who could keep older cars going way past their expiry date!

Great sense of humour and a friendly human being, will be sadly missed.

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4. Author:  buffy        
Date: Sat 21st Sep 2024. 17:20

This is sad news, GG.

He used to service all the cars owned by Clydesdale Bank staff (at the cross). After their retirement my mum and dad continued to go to Keith. Such a lovely man and always went the extra mile.

RiP

”Buffy’s Buns are the finest in Fife”, J. Spence 2019”

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5. Author:  GG Riva        
Date: Sun 22nd Sep 2024. 07:58

Aylesbury_Par, Sat 21 Sept 10:33

Really sorry to hear that, Keith was one of the good guys.

It wouldn`t be unusual to pick your car up at 10 at night as he would keep working until he was finished if he knew you needed the car the following day. Never charged enough for his services. A proper old school mechanic who could keep older cars going way past their expiry date!

Great sense of humour and a friendly human being, will be sadly missed.


I can tell you that 10 pm is nowhere near the record, AP. 😀

Keith once told me my car would be ready for 6 pm, but he hadn`t even started on it when I arrived as he`d had an unexpected problem with another car. "It`ll definitely be ready for 10 pm" he promised. I told him I`d pick it up next morning. Just as well. He didn`t finish it until 1 am. I asked him if that was a record. "No, Jimmy (Brown) and I were once here until 7.30 am," he told me, adding, "Well, the boy needed his car that morning." 😀



Not your average Sunday League player.


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6. Author:  Highway_Star        
Date: Tue 24th Sep 2024. 20:32

I lived on Brucefild Avenue until 2015, Keith was an absolute legend.

RIP.



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