AN ALVA man stayed up all night just to spend his 100th birthday with his loved ones. 

Dr Ian Fraser, a retired minister and renowned theologian, celebrated his centenary year on Friday, December 15.

He’s committed his life to serving people, travelling the world in the process, meaning friends and family were desperate to mark the occasion with a party or two. 

Son Keith spoke to the Advertiser about his father hitting triple digits, when he said: “It was great. It’s not ‘celebration’ singular, he’s had four parties so far. 

“He had everybody in the Kirk yesterday sing Happy Birthday and give him a cake. He’s been absolutely spoiled rotten.

“It did mean something to him. He stayed up the night before to make sure he actually made it.”

Having only ever been a parish minister once in Rosyth, Dr Fraser has written books, worked as the warden of Scottish Churches House and represented the department of mission at Selly Oak Colleges as a dean, among countless other vocations. 

For him it’s always been faith and family, and it still is in the present day, with nine grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. 

Keith continued: “It’s quite difficult. When you get to 100 [years-old], you’re not altogether the same person you were when you were 90 or 95. He’s still very much all there and still lives on his own in sheltered accommodation. 

“His family are very important to him. He would certainly see himself as a people person.

“His basic principle through life was his religion and he thought his church was about the people in the congregation - not about the hierarchy.”

Dr Fraser has had quite a story to tell and was recently interviewed by Hugh MacDonald for our sister paper The Herald, where he gave a detailed account of his life.

His dearly loved wife Margaret died in 1987, seeing Dr Fraser carry on as a widower for some three decades.

And she was clearly a big part of his life, because when Keith was asked if his dad was a man of wise counsel, he replied: “His advice to Hugh MacDonald was marry Margaret, which was not any help to anyone else.”