Angus born Dr Alfred Martin has died in Edinburgh, aged 87.
Born in Carnoustie in 1925, Mr Martin moved to the village of Friockheim and as a gifted scholar studied chemistry at St Andrews University, graduating BSc with first class honours in 1947 and PhD in 1952.
He was followed to St Andrews by his younger brother, the Rev Dr Colin Martin.
While a student, Alf developed a keen interest in gardening, working at the Dalhousie Estates, and was an enthusiastic mountaineer, although his climbing career was curtailed by a serious accident on A’Chralaig in Glen Affric.
He served as a Territorial Army Sergeant Major with The Black Watch. Having gained his doctorate he joined ICI, remaining with the firm until retirement in 1983.
He rose through the ranks, becoming assistant works manager of the firm’s organic division plant in Huddersfield, followed by promotion to production manager at the Blackley site in Manchester.
Dr Martin then became works manager at ICI’s Earl’s Road chemical manufacturing plant in Grangemouth.
An accomplished linguist, Dr Martin travelled abroad extensively on behalf of ICI, leading to his involvement in a number of international committees.
He had a particularly close association with ICI Mexico, but also travelled regularly to Argentina and Brazil. He and wife Margaret continued to travel widely after his retirement.
Dr Martin became involved in voluntary work in the Alloa and Clackmannanshire area where he lived, with a particular interest in recycling and job creation.
He helped found the Alloa Community Enterprises (ACE), which has become a significant employer, and he received the Clackmannanshire Citizen of the Year accolade in 2008.
His early interest in mountaineering was matched by a broader love of the Scottish countryside, of which he had an encyclopedic knowledge.
He walked the West Highland Way with his son and daughter in 1991 and, more recently, fulfilled a long-standing ambition when he visited St Kilda.
He is survived by his wife Margaret, son John, daughter Seonaid, and three grandchildren, Neil, Euan and Eilidh.