The Very Rev Dr James Simpson, who has died aged 90, was a former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and a Royal Chaplain.
He retired to Perthshire in 1997 after more than 20 years at Dornoch Cathedral.
Here, he became interim minister at Almondbank and Tibbermore, and went on to provide a valued helping hand to several churches.
These included St Leonard’s, Scone Old, Crieff, Bankfoot and Brechin Cathedral.
The Glasgow-born minister was also renowned as a popular after-dinner speaker and best-selling author.
He raised more than £80,000 for Cystic Fibrosis research and support for the condition which afflicted his granddaughter, Sally.
He was appointed chaplain in Scotland to Queen Elizabeth II in 1993.
A keen and low handicap golfer, Dr Simpson – known to his many friends as Jimmy or Jim – was also an honorary life member at his beloved Royal Dornoch Golf Club.
His two-year term as captain had to be cut short when he was appointed Moderator in 1994/95.
However, his passion for golf also brought an invitation to serve as chaplain at the 30th Ryder Cup held at the Belfry.
Very Rev Dr James Simpson rejected career in nuclear weapons
After graduating from the University of Glasgow with first class honours in mathematics and physics, Dr Simpson contemplated a career studying atomic research.
At the time, however, the only career opportunities were at Aldermaston, which specialised in developing nuclear weapons.
Not wanting to spend his life in the manufacture of nuclear bombs, Dr Simpson returned to his native city to study divinity at Glasgow University.
After ministries with Grahamston Parish Church in Falkirk and St John’s Renfield Church in Kelvindale, in 1976 he was called to be minister of Dornoch Cathedral.
In his 21 years in the Sutherland town, he was credited with transforming the ailing congregation into one of the most vibrant and best attended in the Highlands.
He was also proud to be awarded an honorary doctorate from Aberdeen University during this period.
A popular writer and successful campaigner
Dr Simpson was a prolific writer of articles for the Church of Scotland.
His regular column in Life and Work was eagerly anticipated by readers over more than a decade.
He also wrote for various golf magazines at home and abroad.
And his first book, Holy Wit, topped Scotland’s best-sellers charts for months.
He went on to publish 13 further books recounting humorous and uplifting tales from his life as a minister and anecdotes about people diverse as Robert Burns, Martin Luther King and Lee Trevino.
Dr Simpson also campaigned for an “opt out” policy on organ donation.
His granddaughter Sally died at the age of 27 after undergoing a double lung transplant two years earlier.
A long-time member of the Tay Probus, Dr Simpson died peacefully at his Bankfoot home – which he had named “Dornoch”.
It was just a few weeks after family from near and far gathered at a Perth hotel along with Helen, his wife of 64 years, to celebrate his 90th birthday.
Final farewell in Perth
A service of thanksgiving for the life of Dr Simpson was held at St Leonard’s in the Fields Church in Perth.
Past Moderators of the Church of Scotland, the Very Rev Dr John Chalmers and the Very Rev Dr Andrew McLellan shared the service.
Another former Moderator, the Very Rev Dr David Lacy, gave a reading and eldest son Neil gave a fine tribute on behalf of the family.
Dr Simpson’s successor at Dornoch Cathedral, the Very Rev Susan Brown, took an earlier private family service at Perth Crematorium.
His son-in-law Derick Macaskill played Highland Cathedral on the bagpipes as donations were invited for Cystic Fibrosis Research and the Bankfoot Church Centre.
Dr Simpson is survived by his wife Helen, their five children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Conversation