Carl Smith

My mother and I cannot express, enough, our gratitude and love to those friends and family that came along with us on this journey of Carlton Daniel Smith. As you all know, Carl was a unique and quirky guy who was always around when needed. Even while we lived so far apart, people were always giving me and our mom updates on where they happened to see him, usually very amusing stories.

We would like especially to thank some of you who extended your love and caring to us the weeks leading up to and after Carl left his body. Pierre, Patrick, Al and Bill thank you for your kindness, ferrying us around, paying our bills and cheering us up when we knew that your hearts were breaking too. For mom and I we met many of you for the first time, finally putting faces to names that we heard in stories given to us over cups of tea in mom’s kitchen in Moncton.

We know that Carl will always be with us especially when we are laughing, singing, drinking, carousing, loving or springing some fantastic bullshit on some unwitting soul, so let’s all remember to keep our spirits high so that we can mingle with him from time to time.

“Death is nothing at all. I have only slipped away into the next room. I am I, and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other, that we still are. Call me by my old familiar name.
Speak to me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference in your tone, wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.

Pray, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever the household word that it always was,
let it be spoken without effect without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was; there is unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just round the corner.

All is well.”

– Henry Scott Holland
  1847-1918
 Canon of St. Paul’s Cathedral

These are some of my favourite photos of Carl. I took them in the early 80s on the back “deck” of my flat on Quinpool Road in Halifax. This is how I will always remember him.

Rosemary forwarded some photos from the memorial to me. Fiona’s father counted over 80 people at the memorial, thanks to everyone for coming.

Carl and Joanne at campaign headquarters. Photo courtesy Andrew McNeill.

Andrew McNeill writes: “The Trotsky reference was particularly appreciated. When Carl was out canvassing in the Halifax – Atlantic by-election a guy who opened the door to him was asked by his wife who was at the door. Leon Trotsky came the reply – mind you, Carl still persuaded the guy to vote NDP.”

Anyone with a Carl story is invited to post on the site. All you have to do is register and then log into the WordPress administration page. Your submission won’t appear automatically, to avoid getting spammed, I’ll need to approve submissions, but you shouldn’t have to wait too long. If you have trouble, send me an email at patricktaylor@mac.com and I’ll add it to the site for you. Send me a note if you also have some photos to put up.

**Carlton Daniel Smith (Carl)**
1956-2005

**You are invited to join in a celebration of Carl’s life**

Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Universalist Unitarian Church
5500 Inglis Street, Halifax
7pm to 9pm

Anyone who knew Carl knows that he loved life. He loved laughter, music and the company of his friends and family. Please join us, not with sorrow, but with joy to celebrate a life like no other. If you have photos or stories you would like to share, please bring them.

Black only as a fashion statement. Bright colours and Hawaiian shirts strongly encouraged.

For more information, please email fiona@fionalotz.com