Tributes after death of 'gentle' Tranent man Lee Orphant

Lee Orphant died on February 3, aged 41, after suffering from a large bleed to the brain which caused him to have a stroke.

He woke up on February 2 and felt a numbing sensation down his left-hand side.

Lee called an ambulance but then fell and became unconscious. The fire service had to be called to open the door to the house.

He was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and put on life support in intensive care; his machine was turned off the next day.

Lee grew up in Tranent, lived on Balfour Square and was a former Ross High School pupil. He had two brothers: Robert and Wayne.

Wayne died in his sleep in October 2018; Lee became a rock to his mum Liz after Wayne’s passing.

Lee previously worked in the town’s Farmfoods store and in East Lothian Council’s groundscape team but arthritis in his hands saw him unable to continue working.

A Celtic fan, he was also a loyal supporter of Tranent Juniors, always at Foresters Park every Saturday cheering on the players and helping out wherever he could.

His grandad had taken him to watch the club play as a youngster.

The club set up a fundraising page to help his family and give Lee a proper send-off. It raised more than £1,600.

Lee’s sister-in-law Emma said he was a “quiet guy” who had a “heart of gold” and would “give his last pound to a child, or buy a chew for a dog that he passed by every day”, but he was also “a pretty normal guy from Tranent”.

On the club’s fundraising, she said: “We didn’t expect anything at all and are shocked someone even thought of doing that for us.

“It just shows you that Tranent has amazing community spirit.”

She added a thank you to the local community and those at Tranent Juniors for all of their support, having been unaware Lee was so well known in the community and that he touched so many people.

Residents across Tranent have been sharing their stories and experiences of Lee.

Lee has been described as “a good laddie”, “a gentle guy” and “a gem of a guy... happy to help anyone”.

Another resident added: “Last time I spoke to Lee, he gave my grandson £1 cause he was crying. Very gentle guy, so sad.”

Emma said: “The stuff everyone has been saying has been really nice, how he’d always say hello to the dogs for example. I was also getting messages from people I don’t know asking when the funeral was.

“I just want to thank everyone for their kind messages, comments and stories, which have all been lovely to read and share with the family.”

Lee’s funeral took place last Wednesday morning at Tranent Cemetery in what Emma said was “a beautiful send-off”.

Due to coronavirus restrictions, only 20 people were able to attend, but more turned up at the cemetery and were at the gates when the family arrived, hoping to watch the funeral from afar.

Emma added thanks to Tracy Brown at Flowers by Arrangement in Musselburgh for the flowers for Lee’s casket and to Davie Martin, who played music at the funeral.

Colin Dryburgh, treasurer at Tranent Juniors, said the club were “deeply saddened”, adding: “Lee was an ever present at Foresters Park on match days, always looking to help out; whether it was putting the goals out or jumping a wall to retrieve a ball, no task was beyond him.

"His cheery face will be sorely missed by committee, players and supporters alike at Foresters Park.”