Jazz singers play out at final cortege of dead funeral director
8:40am Wednesday 29th July 2009
The family of a long-serving funeral director from Carshalton who went on his final cortège on Monday have paid tribute to him.
Anthony Smith, 77, known as Tony, who worked at his father’s business, Alfred Smith Funeral Directors, for 42 years, died on July 15 leaving wife Rita and daughter Linda.
Jazz musicians who used to practice and perform alongside Mr Smith played a final farewell to their friend at his funeral on Monday.
Mrs Smith said: “Perhaps the greatest love of his life was his music and he was a lifelong jazz fan.
“He played saxophone and clarinet, and in the 1950’s he and a friend formed their own band playing at weddings, clubs and functions until discos took over.”
The father-of-one was born in Kennington and moved to Wrythe Lane, in Carshalton with his family in 1934.
He started boxing from the age of 11 and by the age of 15 he was runner up in the National Schoolboys Championship.
Chelsea-supporter Mr Smith was also a very keen footballer and played for Carshalton Athletic Juniors.
After leaving school he had a number of jobs, working in a foundry in Carshalton and brief periods as a plumbers mate and an electricians mate.
Mrs Smith said: “At 18 he was called to National Service and became a physical training instructor and was also in the army boxing team.
“He boxed against the well known Henry Cooper, also in the army at the time, and boxed for England against the USA.”
He left the army at 22 and went to work with his father in the family business.
Mrs Smith said her husband was “always a perfectionist” and that “he looked after everyone he met with utmost professionalism.”
She said: “It is a testament to the regard in which he was held that after his retirement in 1996 he was asked on many occasions to come out of retirement to officiate at funerals for old friends, which he always did.”
Mr Smith’s funeral took place at North East Surrey Crematorium, on Monday.
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