Tributes have been paid to former Holyrood Presiding Officer and Conservative MSP Sir Alex Fergusson who has died aged 69.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson described him as a “proper gentleman” who will be mourned by all who knew him.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said he was “a dedicated parliamentarian with friends and admirers from across the political spectrum”.

Flags at the Scottish Parliament were lowered to half-mast on Tuesday as a mark of respect.

The Scottish Conservatives said Sir Alex died at home after a short illness, surrounded by his family.

He stood down from Holyrood in 2016 after 17 years as an MSP and was knighted for services to politics and public life in the same year.

He served as the Parliament’s third Presiding Officer from 2007 to 2011.

A hill farmer by trade, he was first elected for the South of Scotland region and later became MSP for the Galloway and Upper Nithsdale constituency, re-drawn in 2011 as Galloway and West Dumfries.

Ms Davidson said: “Alex Fergusson was a proper gentleman. His decency, compassion and wisdom earned him friends across all parties. His passing will be mourned by all who knew him.

“He wasn’t just a major figure in the Scottish Conservatives, he was also, as the Scottish Parliament’s third Presiding Officer, a hugely significant figure at Holyrood and a stout defender of the Parliament. He enjoyed the respect of every MSP in the chamber.”

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: “To me, Alex was foremost a great friend and I will miss him dearly.

“He is the most thoroughly decent person I have ever known. He was the absolute opposite of the career politician and was guided by a sense of public duty and his core values of family, community and country, rather than party dogma.

“His legacy was to ensure our Scottish Parliament was a Parliament for the whole of Scotland and that rural issues were given their place, never more so than during the devastating foot-and-mouth outbreak of 2001, when he was the farming communities’ voice.”

Ms Sturgeon said: “Alex was a much-loved member of the Scottish Parliament – as a politician he had the rare gift of being able to argue his own case forcefully while at the same time always remaining on warm and friendly terms with his political opponents.

“As Presiding Officer, Alex led the Scottish Parliament during its first period of minority government – and through four years of often knife-edge votes, he always presided with courtesy, good humour and formidable attention to detail.

“But first and foremost, Alex was proud to represent and champion his home community and the South of Scotland in the national parliament.”

Labour’s Richard Leonard tweeted: “As a parliamentarian and the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, Alex served with diligence and dedication.

“The thoughts of everyone from @ScottishLabour are with his family and friends.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: “I’m extremely sad to hear of Alex’s passing.

“He was held in warm regard by all of us in the Scottish Parliament, presiding over the first period of minority government and guiding the parliament through uncharted territory with great skill.

“On behalf of my party I would like to offer my condolences to Alex’s family and friends at this tremendously difficult time.”

Scottish Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie said Sir Alex was “always a decent person, and very fair in the Presiding Officer’s chair at Parliament”.

He added: “On behalf of the Scottish Greens, I extend our condolences to his family and friends.”

Holyrood’s current Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh said: “He was the first Presiding Officer to preside during a minority government and the unique challenges this presented to Parliament.

“He did so with good humour, no shortage of skill and a fundamental decency that was recognised by members from every party across the chamber.”

He added: “He is the first Presiding Officer to leave us and he will be missed terribly by members and staff alike.”