Ronald Brown, 'Ronnie', died in August last year aged 83 in Gosport Hospital after a protracted illness borne with great patience.

He was the oldest of three brothers all of whom were educated by the Jesuits at their day school in Leeds and then went on to qualify at the Leeds Dental Hospital.

Ronald had an unusual professional life. He had already shown a passion for all things seafaring by taking himself off, aged sixteen, to the Arctic Circle in a Hull trawler, an expedition arranged by the owner of the local fish and chip shop. No one was surprised therefore when he applied for a commission in the Royal Navy after qualification and was appointed to serve initially at the Royal Marine base at Lympstone in Devon. Thereafter to the East Indies Fleet, at first in Trincomalee, and then in HMS Jamaica. On leave in 1944 he married Jean Miller, a VAD nurse whose home was also in Leeds.

After the war, the couple set up house in Richmond in Yorkshire, Ronald working in the local practice. The Browns had a happy twelve years in Richmond until the 'pull' of the West coast of Scotland, where they had enjoyed summer holidays, became too strong to resist. They bought a house and nucleus of a dental practice in Loch Carron and Ronald bought a seven ton truck, fitted the interior with chair, dental unit and Mckesson gas machine. The cab, the 'waiting room', was made comfortable with copies of The Field and Country Life and Jean acted as nurse and receptionist.

Patient appreciation was made manifest by the appearance of a fresh salmon on the Browns' doorstep every so often

The mobile surgery did thousands of miles in Wester Ross along single track roads, over the mountains to Applecross, north east to Sheildaig, on to Kinlochewe, Poolewe, Achnasheen and north to Ullapool, Ronald often away for a week or more. At Kyle of Lochalsh, the Council arranged water supply and drainage for the spittoon at the dock side and and redoubtable elderly ladies came across on the ferry from Skye to have half their teeth removed and then return a week later to finish the job, all with local. There were no vast material riches here but there was immmense satisfaction in providing a much improved dental service for the scattered population. Patient appreciation was made manifest by the appearance of a fresh salmon on the Browns' doorstep every so often.

Ronald moved to Kirkudbright on retirement where he was able to indulge his passion for sailing and ship model making. He was into his seventies when he made the often difficult passage to St Kilda in a schooner owned by the harbour master at Kirkudbright.

Ronald Brown was a man of great charm. Beautiful manners and a gentle sense of humour endeared him to his family, friends and patients. May he rest in peace.