Sellers pay tribute to ice cream man
BY TOM TRACEY A CORTEGE of ice cream vans sounded their chimes as mourners gathered to pay their respects at the funeral of a popular seller.
Mac Leask worked the same pitch for 46 years, providing generations of customers with ice creams and lollies.
The 82-year-old, from Orkney, died at Sutton Coldfield’s Good Hope Hospital on April 21 after suffering a stroke while working in Walsall, in the West Midlands.
Floral tributes in the shape of a van, lolly and cornet could be seen at the emotional service, which was held at Abbey Church in Erdington, Birmingham, yesterday.
Wreaths spelling out Mac, Dad and Grandad surrounded the coffin.
A Cadbury’s Crunchie wrapper – his favourite treat – was also attached to a van-shaped wreath.
The first ice cream van behind the hearse was Mac’s own yellow and black vehicle. In the rear of his van, a blue T-shirt with the logo “Mac’s Ices” hung in the window.
As he was raised on Orkney, bagpipes were played in homage to his Scottish roots.
Daughter-in-law Janet Hobbis said: “It’s the perfect service. It’s the perfect day for an ice cream and that’s what Mac would have wanted.
“He absolutely loved being an ice cream man. Everybody loved him.
“It was his life.”
Go to dailyrecord.co.uk for video of cortege