Avis de décès de Vivian-Courtney Smith - Nécrologie - MesAieux.com

SMITH, Vivian Courtney Courtney died on Tuesday, January 17th in Toronto, after only two days in hospital, in his 90th year. He was born in Jamaica on August 26th 1916, though not registered until October 31st that year: he would joke that, like the Queen, he had two birthdays! He was surrounded by love and appreciation at his death, as he was in life, leaving children Eileen, Michael (Diane), Ingrid (Lionel), and Robert (Debbie), predeceased by his cherished wife Hope (Wright), and their son Richard. He took great pride and enjoyment in his grandsons Sydney (18) and Blair (8), and his granddaughter Sara (14), and had them all with him last Christmas. He was affectionately and compassionately cared for by Marlene, Pauline, Maria, and Celeste, allowing him to live at home until the end, for which we are profoundly grateful. Raised in Cuba, he returned to Jamaica at age 17, learned impeccable English, and put himself through St. Simon's College before qualifying as a Certified Accountant (U.K.) and joining the Jamaican Civil Service. From the Marketing Department, he moved to the Ministry of Housing, becoming the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade & Industry before his transfer to the Foreign Service. He was Minister-Counsellor then Charge d'affaires in the Embassy in Washington, D.C., High Commissioner to Canada and Panama based in Ottawa, and to Trinidad & Tobago and region, based in Port-of-Spain. He retired in 1976 after 40 years, having been made a Commander of the Order of Distinction by his government in 1973 for his contribution to establishing relations with the People's Republic of China. Moving to Toronto in 1977 to be closer to their offspring, Hope relaxed with family and prayed for grandchildren, while Courtney was soon practicing accountancy part-time, playing bridge and tennis until he was 80 years old, and generally enjoying life. He was invited by the Organisation of American States (O.A.S.), into which he had signed Jamaica in 1969, to join their peacekeeping mission on the border of Nicaragua and Costa Rica for a year, where his native Spanish was invaluable. He returned to Jamaica at least once every year until his 85th birthday, taking the grandchildren, as they came along, to be introduced to that part of their heritage. What we will all remember most about him are his unbending integrity, hearty laugh, disciplined lifestyle, enjoyment of family and friends, high expectations of self and others, and his wonderful mind. Visitation will be on Friday, January 20th from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with his funeral service at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 21st both at the Murray E. Newbigging Funeral Home, 733 Mt. Pleasant Road, Toronto, with interment immediately following in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Contributions to the North York General Hospital Foundation, 416-756-6944, would be appreciated, given the care we have received there over the years. Published in the Ottawa Citizen from 1/20/2006 - 1/21/2006