The funeral of Jimmy Orr, of Rumbletonlaw, Berwickshire, took place in early February. 
Jimmy was born on May 29, 1943 and died on January 29, 2017. There are very few people in life who have a huge influence on the lives of others, but to me and, I know, many others, Jimmy was one such man for all sorts of reasons. 
The following is mainly an extract from a touching eulogy delivered in a packed Greenlaw Church, to a lengthy round of applause, by his son, Jim. 
“James Orr was born at Southrig Farm, Blackridge, West Lothian, as the eldest son of Henry and Annie Orr. 
“In due course, he was joined by siblings Betsy, Davy, Margaret and Harry, while meantime the family had also moved to Charlesfield, in Livingston. In 1954, the family moved east again to Penston, at Macmerry, in East Lothian, where his brothers, Clelland and Duncan, were born.
“It was as a young lad at Penston that Jimmy’s love for farming and especially livestock was formed. Jimmy was a born and talented trader and as a young lad he would skip school and get a lift in on a float to the livestock markets in Edinburgh where he honed his skills in the auction rings – a talent which was to serve him well for the rest of his life. 
“The young Jimmy had other talents though and apart from learning the accordion, he was a keen footballer and a talented rugby player.
“In 1960 Jimmy was to meet Marguerite Dudgeon – or Maggie as he would fondly call her for the next 56 years – and they married in 1962 and started married life together in a cottage at Penston. Son Brian was born in 1964, and was joined by son Ronnie in 1966.
“That same year the family acquired the farm of Hillhead at Carberry, where Jimmy and Marguerite were to set up home for the next 27 years. The family was completed with the arrival of Jim in 1967 and Carol in 1970.
“In 1991, Jimmy set up his own company and acquired Rumbletonlaw in his own right, to where the family moved in 1993. 
“The early years were tough, though and it is testament to the man that the farm is now hugely improved and virtually unrecognisable from what he bought almost 25 years ago.
“Jimmy’s life was touched by tragedy on more than one occasion. His great friend Jackie Gordon was killed in a crash on the circuit at Knockhill in the 1980s, but nothing hurt or affected him more than the loss of his eldest son, Brian, in 2003. 
“Jimmy was very low after Brian’s passing, but being the man he was, it was business as usual although he dealt with the pain in his own way.”
Jim told the story at the church of his fond memories of the family summer holidays in Scotland. Every year without fail the car would be loaded up and would head west to Dalmally, Oban and Fort William. 
But it was not for the scenery, but rather for the markets. Buying and selling cattle was Jimmy’s passion and summer holidays certainly didn’t change that. 
There was a surprise for the family one year. They were about to go overseas and take in a cruise at the same time! Overseas of course was a trip to Islay  where Jimmy was to judge cattle, and the cruise was a trip on the cattle boat back to Oban. 
Jimmy was an able farmer, an astute businessman and a great judge of livestock, but above all as Jim described him he was ‘the master of the auction ring’. As anybody that did business with Jimmy will testify, he was well known for calling a spade a spade, and certainly did not suffer fools gladly. 
It was a true privilege to have known Jimmy Orr. I and many others have lost a great friend, and in my own case, a trusted counsel and mentor who influenced my life enormously. His family have lost much more, and our thoughts are with them at this sad time.
NS