SMITH, Alexander Smith

Alex (known as Zanny to his family) died peacefully at Lakeridge Hospital after a brief illness at the age of 92. He is survived by his wife Doreen, daughter Caroline and son Derek, predeceased by son Michael.

Born in the tiny village of Portessie on Scotland’s north-east shore, Alex left school at 14 and started working as a furniture mover, helping to support his three younger siblings Bill, Elma and David. He always had a spirit of adventure and retained a natural curiosity about the world, especially while doing his British National Service as a Royal Marine, training in the Sinai Desert at the time of the Suez Crisis.

Alex and Doreen married in 1957, a union which happily endured for 68 years. Alex became a skilled tool and die maker, and the young couple bought a flat on Walker Road in Aberdeen, Scotland. They made the decision to emigrate to Canada in 1967, buying their Oshawa house in 1969. Alex worked for Douglas Aircraft, Delta Faucet and several other manufacturing companies.

As a young man, he loved to play golf and badminton (as doubles partners with his brother Bill in Scotland), and he and Doreen especially enjoyed sailing on Lake Ontario in their much-loved mahogany sailboat through rough and fair weather. He enjoyed playing chess with son Derek right to the end of his life. These games were epic! He liked to problem-solve difficult situations, much like chess, and applied this to his daily life, determined to live in his home and retain his independence while ensuring Doreen received the care she needed after the heartbreaking onset of Alzheimer’s.

He was an enthusiastic amateur painter, and over the years, the walls of the family house became a gallery of his work, from landscapes to figure studies. This interest in the arts was passed on to his children, as Caroline became a professional theatre director, and Derek spent many years in music composition and performance.

Alex loved to watch the Masters Golf Tournament and his beloved Blue Jays on TV, also enjoying action series like “Bosch,” science series like “Nova” and films on Turner Classics, many of which he had seen in the theatre when they were first released in the 40’s and 50’s. He was an avid reader, especially the novels of Lee Child, Michael Connolly and James Patterson.

Caroline and Derek send thanks and gratitude to everyone in Canada and the U.K. who have been so supportive of our family and the lives of both our parents. Although we will miss our Dad always, we know that his bright spirit will continue in some form throughout eternity.

OSHAWA FUNERAL HOME