Tributes paid to 'modest and self-effacing' Telford councillor

John Smart of Church Street, Hadley, died last Sunday at the age of 77.

Mr Smart had served on Hadley and Leegomery Parish Council from 1995 until his death.

He joined the council alongside his wife Pat, also 77, who remains on the council.

Mr Smart served as council chairman from 2012 to 2019, when he stepped down from the role because of ill health, but Mrs Smart said he was never one for the trappings of office.

She said: "He was very self-effacing and modest. He got things done but did not make a song and dance about it. He did not like being defined as councillor, we are just Hadley people who want to make things better, that is all."

She added: "He went to school in Hadley, he was Hadley through and through. Hadley to the bone, and he was determined to use his time on the council to make things as nice as he could for people living here. He loved our community."

During his time as a councillor Mr Smart was heavily involved with helping local schools, and he also served as treasurer of Hadley Methodist Church for 17 years, before taking on responsibility for maintaining the church as property steward.

Mr and Mrs Smart were married in 1966 but had met before they attended grammar school and were inseparable from that point on.

Mrs Smart said: "We met at his house. I was 12 and so was he. We had both passed for the grammar schools and I wanted to cycle to school and my mum said I could if there was a girl I could cycle with, so I went down to this house to meet his sister, Ann, and that's where I first saw him.

"Even at 12 I fell in love with him and we were together from then."

Legacy of love

The couple have two daughters, Rachel, 47, and Helen 42, and two grandsons, Luke, 18, and Joseph, 13.

"He was a superb father, grandfather and a loving husband as well," added Mrs Smart.

"There was nothing he would not do for me or them, We have got the legacy of all the love he gave us, which is invaluable."

Mrs Smart said her husband had been a committed fan of Shrewsbury Town, following the team home and away – even moving their wedding day so he could attend a match.

She said: "We were due to be married on March 26 and he said 'we are at home to Bournemouth, can we make it the 19th', so that showed his dedication."

Mr Smart had attended Wellington Grammar School before joining GKN, where his father was a senior manager, as an apprentice engineer.

He was also a keen athlete as a youngster and did 50 press ups a night throughout his earlier life to stay in shape.

Life changed when Mr Smart was made redundant in 1981, going on to set up a stained glass window business with his wife after accompanying her to a workshop.

Mrs Smart said: "He said he would come and keep me company at a workshop but when he got there and saw the beauty of the glass he was hooked.

"We did the course and started our own business – J&P Smart Stained Glass – making stained glass windows. He did a lot of repairs too so there is a little bit of John in many places."