Willie’s tribute to true love in his first inking at 90

Pensioner marks his love with a tattoo at the age of 90.

Not many of us are lucky enough to reach our 90th birthday.

Even fewer would celebrate the occasion by getting their first tattoo. But that’s what Willie Highet, from Kilmarnock, did to mark his special day and it wasn’t just any tattoo.

It’s a tribute to Jean, his wife of 64 years, who has Alzheimer’s. Willie is absolutely devoted to her and visits Jean at her care home four times a week.

Willie’s eldest son, Gordon, explained: “My brother-in-law is a tattooist, and dad had mentioned to him and my sister, Liz, he was thinking about a tattoo. They thought he was joking.”

The red love heart and arrow on his left arm, with “Jean” written through it, is a tender tribute.

“At first I was joking, but then I thought it would be a nice thing to do,” Willie said.

Gordon continued: “Dad goes to visit Mum very regularly and he’s so devoted to her. I don’t think he would have lived as long as he has if it wasn’t for those visits.”

Willie and Jean have five children, five grandkids and four great-grandkids.

And he enjoyed showing off his new ink to 70 friends and family at his birthday party at the local bowling club earlier this month.

“People couldn’t believe it at first, but the reaction was very favourable,” Gordon continued.

“They were quite touched because they saw it was done out of love, rather than just trying to keep up with the young ones.”

But Willie, a former tool grinder at Glacier Metal in Kilmarnock, does just fine in keeping up with the youngsters. The big jazz fan has his own laptop, is a regular on Facebook and even Skyped (video messaged) his brother, Alastair, in Canada for the first time recently.

Gordon said: “He only got into computers a few years ago. I think he’d heard all of the family talking about computers and the internet so much that he decided he wanted to try it himself.

“My wife and I received quite a few phone calls in the early days as he tried to work it out, but he has the hang of it now. We hooked him up to Skype during his party so he could talk to his brother.

“They usually just speak on the phone and it’s been years since they saw each other. I don’t think Dad could quite believe he was sitting looking at Alastair on the screen.”

Willie regularly posts pictures of himself, Jean and his family onto his Facebook site and downloads his favourite jazz tunes.

“I do quite a lot of downloading and take the music to the care home for Jean to listen to,” Willie added.

Tatt’s what you call someone who is young at heart!

Do you know someone who had their first tattoo at 90 or older? Let us know at mscougall@sundaypost.com.