It is with deep sadness that I confirm that we have lost our longest serving member Mr Raymond Condon. He was a true legend in the Morlais, he served as a member for 67 years and a Chairman for 4 years and he was instrumental in reshaping our future, a true gentleman with a passion for his family and for the Choir. His legacy is a vibrant organisation with a beautiful home in the Morlais Hall and concerts arranged in various parts of the UK and abroad. I am sure that he wouldn’t mind me taking this opportunity to asking if there is anyone out there looking to join his merry band of brothers as he was the supreme recruiter for the Choir. He will be sadly missed by all.
This is an extract from the Epitaph written and read by Allyn Carter on behalf of the Choir at the Funeral Service in the Morlais Hall.
I will focus on just some of Rays many achievements with the Morlais during 68 years of the Choirs 95 year history. He joined us in 1955 during a time of great change and over the following years he contributed as an accomplished Top Tenor, Second Tenor and Baritone. Over the intervening years when needs must he was the man with a sharp musical mind that could switch effortlessly to any of the three parts as needs must. He served as the Chairman between 1999 and 2005, Choir Registrar for many years, he run the Hundred Club and he was the Caretaker of the Hall when he retired from work and providing the happy smiling face of Morlais to the many groups that have used the Hall and who continue to use the Hall since we acquired the building in February 1981.
Ray was part of a sub committee that was able to transform the Hall between 2008 and 2011 into what we see today. He was instrumental in obtaining grants, attending meetings creating plans, and creating the exhibition you see on the walls here and the comprehensive library stored upstairs. Rays engineering skills and his keen interest in the history of the Choir were invaluable during the course of the Project.
He toured with the Choir right from the first time we went to Germany in 1963 and 22 overseas tours later he was with us on our last overseas trip to Poland in 2018. During Rays time as Chairman we visited Germany, Belgium, Spain and Hungary. He was so pleased when we announced this April’s trip to Paphos in Cyprus and next year’s trip to the Costa Del Sol for St Davids Day as he was a firm believer in the positive effect on the Members of an Overseas Tour.
Another passion for him was the Gala Days held for a number of years from 1978 onwards he was always in the thick of things organising before the day and on the day he loved to see the thousands of happy faces when we brought the Community together. First to get there in the morning at 7am and the last to leave after cleaning the Park at 7 pm and followed by a celebratory pint after a job well done.
He was a friend and colleague of everyone in the choir past and present and he always saw the good in everything and everyone, he was non-judgemental and generous to a fault I know for a fact that he has helped many members when they were struggling financially or emotionally myself included.
I could go on and on with Ray stories but I would just like to finish by thanking Judith and the family for lending him to us for all those years and allowing us to help today to celebrate his life.
