By Jayne Matter…….
Tulips Ex Pat Cancer Support Worker……..
The funeral of Charles Peter Smith (known as Peter) was held on April 14th at Lapta Cemetery. Peter had requested that the service be conducted in accordance with the prescribed rites of the Catholic church. Peter had been brought up as a Roman Catholic and attended Roman Catholic schools.
The service was conducted by Father Zacheusz Dulniok, an ordained Franciscan monk from Holy Cross Catholic Church in Nicosia.
Peter died at home on April 11th, early in the morning, with his wife Win by his side. Peter had been diagnosed with
cancer of the spine last November.
A large crowd of people gathered in the sunshine to celebrate Peter’s life and listen to stories of his entrepreneurial younger self, as well as his service to his country and his community in later life.
Peter was born in 1938 in Hoyland, South Yorkshire. As a child he moved, with his family, to Blackpool where his parents opened a hotel. Always eager to make a few shillings and extra pocket money, Peter hit on the idea of constructing a luggage trolley from an old pram. His father helped him in this endeavour. Peter would then offer to deliver holidaymakers’ luggage to their hotels. In exchange for a few pennies of course.
Peter joined the Army Pay Corps and served in Cyprus, amongst other places. He retired from the army after 25 years and after meeting Win at their local church, they moved to live in Cyprus in 2003. Peter and Win were married in St Andrew’s Church, Girne, in 2004.
Peter was active in his retirement, he regularly audited the accounts for the BRS, St. Andrew’s Church and the Kyrenia Society Library. He was still in the post as Secretary/Treasurer of the Society of St Andrews when he died.
Peter’s sister, two of his sons, his daughter and granddaughter travelled from the UK to attend his funeral.
Peter requested that donations be made to Tulips/Help Those With Cancer Association, at his funeral. We are very pleased to announce that the wonderful sum of 755 TL and £50 was donated on the day in memory of Peter. This is approximately 955 TL and will pay the salary of an oncology unit nurse for 2 weeks.
Tulips/Help Those with Cancer Association would like to thank everyone who donated and also Win for carrying out Peter’s wishes.
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Cyprusscene would like to offer our sincere condolences to Win and Peter’s family and also thank Win for the wonderful pictures of Peter which are shown here.
Win’s favourite picture of Peter and herself together in happier times
