Alexander McDonald was born on November 5, 1937, and died on March 17, 2016

He was a Scottish minister of the Church of Scotland.

He served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland from 1997 to 1998.

After he completed his studies in theological in the 1960s.

His first appointment after completing his studies was in the rural Church of Scotland, in Longriggend, north Lanarkshire, he served as minister at St David’s Parish Church, Bathgate (1968–1974), then at St Mark’s Parish Church, Ralston (1974–1988) and then as General Secretary of the Church of Scotland’s Board of Ministry until he retired in 2002.

However, his formal title (following the end of his Moderatorial year) was The Very Reverend Dr. Alexander McDonald.

During the 80’s, sandy co-presented the Scottish Television religious magazine programme That’s the Spirit! and was also interviewed on VIP, also an STV religious show.

He performed a non-speaking cameo appearance in the Doctor Who episode “The Unicorn and the Wasp”, playing the part of a footman alongside his son (David Tennant).

Together they made an appearance in an episode of celebrity Ready Steady Cook.

McDonald was one of the interviewees for his son’s Special Recognition Award at the National Television Awards in 2015, during which David dedicated his award to his father.

He left behind his wife Helen, daughter of former footballer Archie McLeod.

Sandy had a daughter named Karen, and two sons, Blair and David, the latter a well-known actor with the stage name David Tennant.

Reported in a 2015 interview, he had said that he was terminally ill with pulmonary fibrosis, a degenerative lung condition.

During that same interview, Sandy spoke in support of “right to die” campaigns.

Sandy McDonald passed away at 78 yrs old.