Elizabeth Anne Cameron Walls

Elizabeth Anne Cameron Walls, who has died aged 99, was a former general secretary of the Overseas Council of the Church of Scotland and as such was responsible for organising 200 missionaries. She once said of her role: "It is amazing they appointed me to the job and not a minister."

She was born in Glasgow and educated at Hutchesons' Girls Grammar School before going to the University of Glasgow where she graduated MA. She began her working life as a primary teacher.

In 1947 she turned from teaching to become the assistant to the general secretary of the Women's Foreign Mission and would work in 121 George Street, Edinburgh, for the Kirk for the next 28 years.

She moved to Edinburgh and bought a house in Morningside, where she lived for 65 years. Her mother moved and lived with her until she died. This responsibility prevented Ms Walls from living and working abroad.

In 1950 she became associate general secretary of the Women's Foreign Mission. Five years later she was made general secretary.

When the Overseas Council was formed in 1964 she became one of its general secretaries, along with the Rev John M Hamilton and the Rev Dr Alexander King.

When Mr Hamilton retired in 1972 she became general secretary, the first woman in sole charge of an Assembly committee. At that time she was responsible for organising 200 missionaries, as well as missionary associates and the administration of the Overseas Council.

She travelled widely, especially to Africa and India, to appreciate fully the work being done and the needs of the different regions. One of the needs she identified was to provide a grant for missionaries to afford a local holiday while overseas. She also ensured that missionaries who had died were mentioned, alongside deceased ministers, at the final session of the General Assembly each year.

She contributed significantly to the ecumenical movement – she was a delegate to the Third Assembly of the World Council of Churches at New Delhi in 1961 and to the meeting of the Commission of World Mission and evangelism in Mexico City in 1963. In 1965-66 she was chairwoman of the Conference of Missionary Societies in Great Britain and Ireland (known as the British Missionary Society) only the third woman to hold that position in more than 50 years.

In 1966 the Women's World Day of Prayer was prepared for the first time by a Scottish committee drawn from 10 different denominations. During the week she was asked to give the Thought For The Day on BBC Radio 4 on the theme of: "You are my witnesses". Later, when she did a series on Late Call broadcasts in 1974, the producer, Nelson Gray, commented that her series was firmly rooted in everyday life. Given that one of her themes was: "How wonderful was the invention of the electric blanket" his point would seem well made.

She was held in affection by colleagues at home and abroad. She retired in May 1975, aged 61.

She was always very self-effacing, preferring to talk about others than herself. She refused to accept that her career had been distinguished: "I am part of a team," she insisted, "a very big and dedicated team of people."

Her main form of relaxation was oil painting. She also played golf as the Merchant's Company Golf Course and was a member and a past president of the Edinburgh Soroptimist Club for which she was awarded a special medal and made a life member.

She loved the theatre, took out a season ticket to the Lyceum and visited Pitlochry Theatre regularly. She enjoyed travelling and playing bridge.

When she came to Edinburgh in 1947 she joined the Palmerston Place Church where she remained a member until she died. She was ordained an elder in 1972, the first woman elder in the congregation, ordained six years after women elders were introduced in 1966.

She moved just over three years ago to Cherryholme House where she was well looked after and where she settled remarkably well. She had a deep vein of common sense and made the best of whatever happened to her in life. On top of that she had a real and living Christian faith which shaped her outlook on life and her attitude to life, and she lived out her life exceptionally well.