Malcolm D. Ferrier of Langley died peacefully at his home on Sept. 6, 2011 at the age of 80.

He died in the presence of his wife of 55 years Wendy, his sister Elspeth and her husband Gilbert, Kit Ketcham, the minister of the local Unitarian church and Laurie, the hospice nurse.

Malcolm and Wendy Ferrier moved to Langley in the mid 1990s and were active members of the community, involved in social, political and commercial affairs and the arts. Malcolm helped found the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Whidbey Island and was instrumental in getting its new building constructed, as well as writing its history.

Malcolm had an active and productive career in science, technical writing, publishing and digital data management systems before retiring to Whidbey Island. He worked for Atomic Energy of Canada, American Nuclear Society, RR Donnelly, Encyclopedia Brittanica and Mitchell International, among other entities.

As a volunteer he worked with Common Cause, the Hemlock Society and other progressive organizations, various church organizations and locally as a math and science tutor in public schools on the island, as well as a golf instructor for the South Whidbey Parks & Recreation District. He founded the golf foundation Keepers of the Game to ensure the gentlemanly traditions of golf are honored by all.

Malcolm David Ferrier was born in India in 1930 to Scottish parents and lived there until riding a steamer to Scotland to go to boarding school at age 6. He was evacuated to Canada during the war where he lived with a family in Toronto and later returned to Scotland and attended Dollar Academy and the University of St. Andrews, where he received degrees in chemistry and geology. He met his wife Wendy Gates at St. Andrews and they emigrated to Canada where they had four sons.

The family moved to suburban Chicago, Ill. in 1962, to San Diego, Calif. in 1974 and to Sydney, B.C. in 1990, before retiring to Langley.

Malcolm was a gifted athlete, speaker and performer.

He played rugby in his youth and competed in golf and tennis throughout his adult life, captaining the St. Andrews golf team and winning a number of age-group tennis tournaments into his 40s in Hinsdale, Ill. He played the lead role in a production of “A Man Called Peter” and performed and instructed Scottish Country dancing for a number of years in Illinois and California.

Malcolm was a vocal participant in local social issues like land-use, preservation, green building and other environmental causes on the island. He helped form the local Philodox discussion group and was known in his intellectual and social circles for his direct manner and eccentric and occasionally ribald sense of humor.

Malcolm published numerous articles, papers and documents in his business career and also published an autobiography (originally released as “70 Glorious Years” and now being updated as “80 Glorious Years” by his family members) and “The Handbook of MIRG,” which includes a series of life lessons intended to pass on to subsequent generations of Ferriers and others, and whose name derives from his self-chosen grandparent title MIRG, or Most Illustrious and Resplendent Grandparent.

Malcolm suffered from a rare kidney ailment in his late 60s that lead to peritoneal dialysis and eventually resulted in a kidney transplant donated from long-time island resident Deana Brown. While given only a year to live when originally diagnosed, Malcolm’s last 15 years were a testament to his physical and mental fortitude, as well as his personal involvement in his medical care.

Malcolm is survived by Wendy; his sons Neil, Fergus, Andrew and Grant; and by his two cats and two alpacas, Thurso and Dounreay.

The memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 22, from 4-6 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Whidbey Island, 20103 State Route 525, Freeland Wa. 98249 (360) 321-8656.