Dundee-born James Hyne, who rose to become a senior academic in Canada and the USA, has died aged 94.
He was also a rancher and cattle breeder in Alberta and although he emigrated in 1954, he often returned to Scotland to attend Perth Bull Sales.
In his youth, he had been a member of the Grampian Club, a group of Dundee mountaineers, and enjoyed climbing the Munros of the Angus Glens.
Throughout his life, his affinity with the Scottish mountains remained strong.
James, known as Jim, was the son of William Simpson Hyne and Winifred Moore (nee Bisset).
Following his early education at Morgan Academy, Dundee, he completed his BSc (Hons) in chemistry in 1951 and PhD in 1954, both at St Andrews University.
Military service
In his younger years in Scotland, he combined his passion for the mountains with serving as a sergeant major in the Territorial Army.
Jim emigrated to Canada in the summer of 1954 where he held a post-doctoral fellowship in chemistry at the National Research Council of Canada in Ottawa and continued his military service with the Canadian Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa as a Second Lieutenant.
He joined the staff of the chemistry department at Yale University in 1956 as an instructor and it was there he met Ada Leah Jacobson a native of Boston who was working on her own PhD. Jim and Ada married in New Haven, Connecticut, on September 3 1958.
From 1959 until 1960 Jim was an assistant professor of chemistry at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.
Canada
In July of 1960 the couple moved to Calgary, Alberta, where they joined the chemistry department of the University of Alberta (Calgary Branch).
Jim took up a post as associate professor and Ada a research associate. Their arrival coincided with the opening of the new campus in northwest Calgary. Jim was appointed administrative officer of the chemistry department, and in 1963, he became head of department.
In early 1964 Jim together with representatives from the local oil and gas industry formed Alberta Sulphur Research Ltd. (ASRL), a non-profit research group to investigate the applied chemistry of sulphur and its compounds to support the evolving sour gas industry. Jim remained as inaugural director of research for ASRL until 1995.
When the University of Calgary became autonomous in 1966, Jim was appointed the first Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, a position he would hold until 1989.
Projects and patents
Throughout his career he spearheaded hundreds of research projects published numerous papers, was named inventor on patents, and was celebrated with many awards and appointments.
Away from academia he owned and operated a ranch west of Peace River, Alberta. He maintained an interest in cattle breeding well into his 80s and would often visit Perth bull sales.
He was also an avid collector whose pieces ranged from the beautiful and culturally significant to the esoteric and idiosyncratic.
Jim and Ada travelled extensively and Jim would also combine his travels with regular visits to his family and his favourite bookseller in St Andrews.
At home in Calgary Jim and Ada hosted social gatherings, big and small, including many Burns Night celebrations .
He is survived by his nephew Edward and his great-nieces and nephews.
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