Raymond Smith served the city of Aberdeen for more than half a century.
Whether it was dropping mail through our letterboxes or later helping our children cross the street, his warm smile and relentless work ethic set him apart from the rest.
Last month, after pandemic delays and postponed appointments, he and wife Anna were given the devastating news he had cancer.
Four weeks later Raymond was gone.
Today we pay tribute to a man whose service to the city over the years has helped make the lives of hundreds of others that little bit better.
A monumental start
Raymond Smith was born on June 12, 1946.
The firstborn son of Walter Smith and Sissy (nee Duncan) he first lived in Mile-End Avenue.
His mother worked in the home and his father was a monumental stone mason who had helped create the Lion war memorial on School Hill and had worked on the signage for St Machar’s Cathedral.
When he was two he’d become big brother to Joan, who sadly died 14 years ago.
The family later moved to Brierfield Terrace.
Beach Ballroom dances
Raymond attended Cornhill School before moving on to Hilton Junior Secondary.
A job in the hardware department of Loch Street Co-op provided an opportunity to leave – and it also provided a salary for weekends at the dancing.
The Beach Ballroom was the destination of choice and it was here he met 16-year-old Anna Simpson in 1963.
Not knowing they just lived streets apart, he asked her to dance.
When he got off the ‘Ballroom Bus’ on the way home she realised he lived nearby.
“He was 17 and he got me up to dance. Something like the Twist at that time.
“We both got on the same bus home but didn’t really speak.
“He got off at Brierfield and I got off at the next stop on Stewart Crescent. But we did start going together after that.”
Tying the knot
Anna was working in Marks and Spencer and the pair got engaged in 1965 and on October 18 1967 they got married.
Initially living with Anna’s mum, the newlyweds eventually found a two-bed flat.
Their wedding service took place at Rutherford Church and the couple had a honeymoon in an Edinburgh hotel.
Up at 4 o’clock every day
As a young postman Raymond initially worked all over Aberdeen.
He would rise at 4am every day and worked six days a week.
“Eventually he got more permanent routes in Rosemount and Union Street,” said Anna.
In 2003, after 36 years, he hung up his postbag during a time when the Post Office was cutting staff.
New opportunities
But it wasn’t long before he wanted to get back to what he did best – working for the people of Aberdeen.
Anna said: “He was bored right away and wanted to get back out there.”
A brief stint with Anna in Marks and Spencer as a cleaner got him back into work but it would be short lived.
When a job came up for a lollipop person he jumped at the chance.
Working in Mile-End and Skene Square Schools he’d become a familiar and well-loved face.
A marathon effort
Never one to shirk a challenge, Raymond began running in his 30s.
The Great North Run and 26 marathons later he had his heart set on tackling the New York marathon which sadly wasn’t to be.
Along with Maureen and Gordon Nelson, he and Anna would travel the world.
Favourite travel destinations with their friends included Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and the Greek islands.
But he and Anna would also take trips to New York, Paris, Copenhagen and Dublin, even starting cruising in recent years.
With no head for heights Anna would end up taking tourist photos at landmarks on her own.
“I would shout down, ‘The view is great from up here,’ and he’d reply ‘I’ll take your word for it!”
Pride and joy
With no children of their own Anna and Raymond doted on their niece Lynne and nephews Grant and Craig.
But Raymond found unexpected joy in the form of two schnauzers called Sky and Hector.
“I had always wanted a dog but Ray resisted. Then 16 years ago we found a lady who was a dog breeder, and at 14 weeks old we got Sky.
“He was in love from day one. He’d get annoyed with me from time to time, but never the dogs.”
Two years after Sky, the same breeder brought Hector to see them.
He never left.
Sadly both dogs have also passed away in the last year.
“There’s been such a lot of loss,” said Anna.
Bad news
Some years ago Raymond had melonoma – skin cancer – on his back.
As part of his treatment lymph nodes had been removed from his leg.
At Christmas he began to experience pain in the same place where the nodes had been taken out.
“He went to the doctor but really things didn’t start moving properly until very recently.
“They put it down to the virus causing delays but we found out just four weeks ago that the prognosis wasn’t good.”
Ray was admitted to Morningfield House at Woodend Hospital and on Monday August 30 at 2pm he slipped away.
Anna said: “He knew he was dying. I was with him. He said my name and looked at me and then that was it. We were a month away from our 54th anniversary.”
Final farewell
Fanatical about 60s and 70s music, Anna chose tracks by Simon and Garfunkel, Chris Rea and Eric Clapton to play at his humanist funeral.
He’ll be remembered as a member – if a slightly dodgy player – of golf at the Bon Accord club where he’d spent time with friend Bob Scott, and as a regular visitor with Anna to Portsoy’s The Shore Inn.
A Manchester United and Dons fan, he was an important person to Grant.
He said: “Raymond was much more than just my uncle. He was a friend and a father figure too. He will be really missed by us all.”