As the tributes flowed at the memorial service for media and advertising stalwart Tony Scott, you would wish that you had a person like him in your life.

It was obvious that he left his mark wherever he went. Scott’s only sister, Olive told of her vivid memories of a curious and adventurous child who followed her everywhere, especially when her girlfriends visited, while for Julian Templer a lifelong friend of Scott “that was a foretaste of things to come” as he tried to lighten the sombre mood that pervaded the Swallowfield Chapel where on Saturday February 3, the memorial service for Scott was held.

“We were very close, we all played cricket. Unfortunately he got hit with a cricket bat on his cheek and ended up with a beautiful dimple which remained there for the rest of his life. He loved to read comics with his legs crossed. [This was] a familiar image to anyone who knew Tony well, and he loved to sing,” sister Olive said.

Templer met Scott at Wolmer’s High School for boys where they spent their high school years.

“We became lifelong best friends. It was at Wolmer’s that he met many of the friends who remained close to him throughout his adult life. Those Wolmer’s days were good days. T Scott always had a sweet tooth. I recall that whereas many of us would have a patty or a coco bread or coffee strip or donut for lunch, Tony would without fail have a sugar bun every single day.”

“Tony was an excellent athlete and was involved in many different sporting activities. He represented Wolmer’s at championships where he ran the 100 and 200, and was a member of the 400 relay team where he ran some really fantastic legs,” Templer recalled.

But track and field was not the only sport that Scott loved. He also played cricket, hockey and enjoyed marlin fishing. He had the same zeal for his professional life.

“Throughout his life Tony worked in radio and advertising, moving back and forth between Jamaica and Canada. To say that he was a professional in all facets of the industry is an understatement. The body of work he left behind and the accolades of tributes from his co-workers testify to his excellent work ethic and wonderful creativity.

“He had the perfect voice for radio. A voice that his daughter said he described as creamy smooth. When his wife Sonja was asked about his approach to work, she said he was very creative at a lot of what he did. Advertising jingles came easily to him, he never seemed to struggle. It came naturally.”

Francois St Juste, radio personality and friend of the deceased, recounted how he met Scott.

“Our paths crossed when Tony came back to Jamaica and wanted to continue his broadcasting career. He submitted an idea to FAME FM in the late 1980s to do a show. The idea was accepted. That turned into Sunday Morning Solid Gold.”

Sunday Morning Gold quickly became a big hit, and was a staple on the local station for many years.

“Through those years I got to know Tony better and we began to hang out together. There were many Friday nights when the spirits were high, and the conversations were without merit and unrepeatable,” St Juste shared.

The two friends kept in touch after Scott left FAME FM. A lover of sports, he was insistent that St Juste do a feature on American football. “At the time I hated it, but somehow Tony convinced me to do a feature on American football on the morning show that I was hosting at the time. I really didn’t want to do it, but Tony and I had a good rapport.”

“The second problem, however, was that there were only about nine people in all of Jamaica at the time that cared in the least about American football. Lo and behold, through Tony’s enthusiasm and his persistence, he convinced listeners bit by bit to give the game a chance, and it worked! It even worked on me. Again another hit show created by Tony. This was a profound example of Scott’s passion for his work,” St Juste said..

For St Juste, Scott was a fun person to be around. “He was always professional about his job, never late, always prepared. I learnt so much from Tony Scott. Most of all, I give thanks for being in the right place at the right time to be blessed with a friend like Tony Scott. Rest now, my friend.”