WELL-KNOWN Langrish man Gordon Rattray has died. He was 72. Villagers packed St John's Church in Langrish on Tuesday for a service of thanksgiving for the life of Mr Rattray, who died in hospital on November 26 after a short illness. An accountant, Mr Rattray was financial projects manager with IT giant IBM, retiring in l989 after working for the company in Britain and overseas. Gordon and his wife Doris owned a home in Ramsdean since l976, and they came back to live there when Gordon retired. After returning to the parish, Gordon threw himself into voluntary work and worked tirelessly for Ramsdean and Langrish. In particular, he worked for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme, which had strong European connections. Mr Rattray was an influential force in the organisation, and colleagues paid tribute to him this week calling him their "unsung hero". He was valued for his ability to think clearly and quickly and was hailed as a "doer." He organised international events, brought in considerable funding, and secured finance from governments and international organisations. Bilingual Mr Rattray also provided "vital liaison with people in high places across the world to get things done". Close friends John and Rosemary Hopewell said this week: "He was one of those people who was a clear thinker, easy to work with, and nothing was too much trouble. "He was willing to accept heavy responsibility and he never complained. He was a modest man." And he brought all these characteristics to the parish of Langrish and Ramsdean, where he quickly became involved in community life. He was a member of Langrish and Ramsdean Friends, a group of villagers who organised social events for the community, and he was also on the committee of The Squeaker, helping to spread community news across the parish. Mr Rattray was a member of the parish council and became heavily involved in the production of the Langrish and Ramsdean parish plan, one of the first to be completed. He also found time to complete an Open University degree in history and Christianity. Mr Rattray leaves wife Doris, five sons – Peter, Simon, James, Thomas and Stephen – and five grandchildren, Victoria, Henry, Sam, Robert and Tara. Mr and Mrs Hopewell told The Herald: "He will sadly missed by his family and friends, and by the parish of Langrish and Ramsdean."