Ian Morrison

Ian Morrison, who has died aged 82, was an unassuming individual whose twin talents as an educator and diplomatic sportsman helped both to inform generations of youngsters and lift Olympic gold for Britain.

A man of modesty, whose friends were often unaware of his achievements in diverse fields, his expertise ranged from respected chemistry teacher and textbook author to accomplished cricketer and hockey player, distinguished soldier and chairman of Great Britain's Men's Hockey Board. In 1988 he was appointed Chef de Mission for the GB Men's Olympic hockey team who brought home the gold medal after defeating Germany in Seoul in a match he could barely bring himself to watch.

The son of a civil servant, he was born in Stirling, but moved north to Aberdeen when he was three, as a result of his father's work.

And it was during his education at Aberdeen Grammar School that his interest in sport first flourished. Originally a rugby player, he was also keen on cricket but was really enthused about hockey by a teacher who was a hockey buff.

He played for the school team and, when he went to Aberdeen University in 1947, he chose to play for the Grammar FPs' team rather than the university side.

Mr Morrison, also known to friends as Tim, graduated BSc in 1951 and was immediately conscripted to do his national service, which saw him based in England and Germany, narrowly missing being sent to Korea, ironically later to be the scene of his greatest triumph.

Desperate to begin his career in teaching, after being demobbed he took a post in the chemistry department of Stirling High School where he formed a productive working relationship, as well as friendship, with Alex H Johnstone, later to become a professor and founder of the Centre for Science Education at Glasgow University's Faculty of Science.

Together they wrote a series of textbooks, Chemistry Takes Shape, the genesis of which was at Stirling High. A new chemistry curriculum was being introduced and as it was developed the pair were asked to run a number of workshops. It entailed giving up a great deal of Saturdays and eventually they hit upon the idea of writing a book so that they could get their weekends back and the teachers could then pass on their knowledge.

The first book was written from Stirling High and then, over the next five years, they used their summer holidays to produce the rest of the series, for Heinemann Educational Publishers, which was widely used in schools. They later co-authored its modern successor Chemistry About Us.

Mr Morrison remained at Stirling High until 1963 when he became a lecturer in the science department of Jordanhill College of Education, Glasgow. There he met his wife, Isabel, a lecturer in social work.

In 1971 he moved to Brechin High School as assistant rector, where he was universally known as TI. Despite being headhunted for a headmaster's post, he resisted the offer and opted instead to become an adviser in secondary education for Angus County Council, an opportunity which enabled him to help teachers do their job better.

Although he was an excellent teacher himself, he greatly enjoyed the advisory role and, following local government reorganisation, moved to a similar post though with greater responsibility, with Tayside Regional Council in 1975.

Meanwhile he was fully immersed in Scotland's sports scene. Having been captain and vice-president of both Aberdeen Grammar FPs' and ICI Grangemouth Hockey Clubs, as well as vice-president of Stirling Cricket Club, he served two terms as president of the Scottish Hockey Association – from 1974-76 and 1982-84.

He chaired the Great Britain Men's Hockey Board in 1984 and served as its representative of Scottish Hockey for eight years, a period which encompassed his tenure as Chef de Mission for both the 1988 Seoul Olympics and the 1992 games in Barcelona.

In Seoul many of the hockey games were played in outlying areas of the island and local housewives were issued with British flags with which they proceeded to wave and cheer, Britain eventually trouncing the German opposition 3-1 in the final.

Regarded as a man who brought a commonsense, calm authority to his role as chair of the GB board, he was a great support both to team managers and in the boardroom.

He also had a great sense of humour and used to recall how, as president of Scottish Hockey, he had to write frank letters to GB Hockey, and that, as president of GB Hockey he looked forward to writing pertinent letters back to himself.

Within his busy life he also found time to serve the Territorial Army, joining the 51st Highland Division, which later became 153 Regiment, and commanding a company in Perth, retiring as Brevet Lt Colonel, having been awarded the Territorial Decoration in 1970.

He had also been an elder at Brechin Cathedral and at home near Forfar was a long-standing elder of Dunnichen, Letham and Kirkden linked churches, for which he had been delivering church newsletters when he was killed in a road accident.

He is survived by his wife Isabel and nieces Hilary and Carol.