Tributes paid to former Inverness scaffolder who has died suddenly while living in Azerbaijan
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The Nairn family of a man who has died suddenly are awaiting the results of a post mortem examination into the exact cause of his death.
Relatives still living in Nairn and the surrounding area this week paid tribute to 61-year-old Christopher Bernardi.
In his younger days he played football for Clachnacuddin FC youth team however, after leaving school, his career in the oil and gas industry took him all over the world.
His sister Rose McInnes, who lives in River Park in Nairn, said: “He was a good man with a heart of gold.
“He would do little things – at work he used to buy meat, cook it, and feed three cats who lived at the yard.
“He was so kind but at the same time do not cross his family – he was very much a family man. He was always up to devilment. You wouldn’t know what he would do next.”
He also had property in Bataan, in the Philippines, where he would stay with partner Ella when he had time off work.
His great-niece Hayleigh McInnes, who also lives in Nairn, said: “Chris was always so full of fun, everyone enjoyed being in his company. He had a heart of gold and his family meant everything to him.”
Billy Corbett, who managed the youth team when Mr Bernardi played in the Inverness Youth League, said he was a very talented player, adding: “He played centre forward and we won a cup with him playing – we beat one of the favourites, the team that won the league. Chris scored a couple of goals in that game.”
He said their opponents were the Boys Brigade Hotspurs, who were managed by ex-Caley manager John Beaton.
“If he had stuck to it he could have made the professional grade,” Mr Corbett said.
Mr Bernardi’s grandparents moved to the Highlands from the Tuscany region of Italy and his father, Scotty Bernardi, was captured during World War II at St Valery – he later managed to escape during a forced march to Germany.
His mother was Mary Bernardi and the family lived in Old Mill Road in the Crown area of the city. He had an older sister, Rose, and three brothers called Frank, Ray and Ronnie.
He attended St Joseph’s Primary School and Millburn Academy before starting work as a slaughterman in a slaughterhouse in the Longman area of the city. He changed career to work as a scaffolder at McDermott’s in Ardersier.
