AGRICULTURAL engineer John Kirkwood Howden has died aged 64.

Born April 9, 1949, in his parent's home in Tranent, John started work at the age of 15 with Strang Tractors, Pipe street, Portobello, as an apprentice.

He met his wife Margaret in 1969, they got engaged at Christmas 1970 and they married in 1972 when John left home at the age of 23.

John and Margaret's first home was one of Jim Peace's farm cottages at Carberry Farm, where they stayed for six years. They then moved to Whitecraig, Musselburgh, and would have been there 35 years this September.

John built his way up at Strang Tractors and became foreman of the garage, a post he held until it closed in 1987. He then worked for two years at Ancroft Tractors, Dunbar.

While at Ancroft he was approached by Jim Ritchie and offered a job as service engineer at Motokov, the importer of Zetor Tractors, which he took in February 1989. Through time, John became Sales Service Manager, and when Motokov changed its name to Zetor UK in 2005, John was appointed Joint Managing Director, with Glyn Webb working from Downham Market.

When Glynn retired in 2009, the company moved to Coventry and John became the sole managing director until last year.

The week of this year's Royal Highland Show, John had been busy setting up the Zetor trade stand ready to meet old and new customers, who were always greeted with enthusiasm, but unfortunately he died in the early hours of Thursday morning. He had been due to retire in April 2014.

John was a very hands-on man, not afraid to roll up his sleeves and get stuck in. He was always at the end of the phone whenever anyone needed his expert advice, day or night. No job was too much bother – he even once helped fix a Zetor out in Australia via emailing back and forth, such was his dedication.

He was a great man and will be sadly missed by his family, Zetor users and the many friends he made here and throughout the world over the years.

John is survived by his loving wife Margaret, their two daughters Lynette and Louise, four grandsons and two granddaughters who were his pride and joy.