Died: April 14, 2021.
NOT too many people, perhaps, knew of John McAleer outwith the Stirlingshire town of Falkirk, where he lived and worked. But within Falkirk – that was a different story entirely.
John was a well-known figure in the Marks & Spencer Foodhall in the retail park. Before that, he had worked in the food department of the big M&S store, up in the High Street. And long before that, he had been a familiar figure in Sleeves, a much-missed record shop in the town centre.
It was in his last few years, as a customer assistant who performed a host role at the M&S Foodhall, that he became known to hundreds of people. He stood outside in all weathers – and, latterly, in these Covid-19 times, with a mask covering the lower half of his face – and greet them by name.