A Fife photographer who died while walking in the hills was “doing what he loved”.
James Brown, 55, passed away while walking in the Lomond Hills.
After his death, it was discovered the keen walker and munro bagger, who lived in Leven, had an undiagnosed heart condition.
His former wife Gillian described him as a “joyous character” who had a great love of the outdoors and photography.
“He has a lot of cherished friends who are devastated. He was just a very joyous character,” said Gillian, 57.
“It was just so sudden, and at a point in his life when he was at his fittest.
“He walked up the munros and walked up East Lomond every week. That was his exercise. He was coming down the hill when he had a massive heart attack.
“Sadly, we discovered that he had coronary heart disease.
“His dad died six years ago of the same thing.
“But his dad was in his early eighties, so it was such a shock that he died so young.”
Born in the East Neuk village of Elie, James was schooled privately at George Watson’s College in Edinburgh.
He went on to forge a career as a photographer, specialising in medical photography.
It was at a medical photographer’s conference that he met Gillian, who also worked in the field.
The couple had a daughter together, Amy, who is now 24.
Amy and her dad were planning to walk the West Highland Way together before he died.
She is now determined to go ahead with the trek in his memory and hopes to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation.
In later years, James was a freelance photographer covering weddings and graduations.
Gillian said: “He was just a kind, fun guy.
“He was always up for an adventure. He adored his family.
“He had a great love of the outdoors. He was doing what he loved.
“When I met him 26 years ago, he had a big map of all the munros of Scotland and was ticking them off as he went.”
