Reading Bella Mackie’s article (Harry Leslie Smith: we were lucky to hear his wisdom, 29 November) brought tears to my eyes. My wonderful dad, Bertram, died this April in his 98th year and he was very much a gentleman in the same mould as Harry – as you say, an “unfailingly kind man [who] lived his values”. He appreciated the wonder of the world we live in, and knew the value of the marvellous benefits of a free healthcare system, good education and many freedoms denied to people in his youth. Above all, he knew that sometimes you have to put yourself and your needs aside and work towards a greater good – something today’s politicians on both sides of the Brexit issue are ignoring in favour of party politics. Here’s to you, both Harry and Bertram, and the values you held dear.
Angela Barker
Weybridge, Surrey
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