Grand Send-off For Ice Today

[Naminirt]

GRAND SEND-OFF FOR ICE TODAY

The funeral for slain [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]dancer[/COLOR][/COLOR] David Alexander Smith, known more popularly as Ice, will be a grand celebration of his life, despite the fact that mourners are being asked to be respectful.
Although his family had asked those who would be attending to respect the rules of the [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Catholic[/COLOR][/COLOR] faith and dress accordingly, Ice's send-off will be no less than any other coordinated by Brite Lite Funeral Services.
While unwilling to disclose the cost of the funeral, Ice's sister, Natasha Smith, said:
"The price he (owner of Brite Lite) gave us is more than reasonable. He gave us a figure and that's what he got. He got his payments."
Smith pointed out that while it was important for those in attendance to respect the church, the service would by no means be a "boring one". She said, "We're just asking the public to dress decently. We are Catholics and we have to go back to the church after."
Tommy Thompson, chief executive officer of Brite Lite Funeral Services, said he, too, was trying to put on a show and would be going to great lengths to make Ice's funeral one to remember. He said, "he's going to get a nice funeral, with the help of Brite Lite and his family. "
The dancer, who was killed on [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Boxing[/COLOR][/COLOR] Day last year, will be buried today at Our Lady of the Angels Church, 75A Molynes Road, Kingston 10. The service starts at noon. Ice was killed along Newark Avenue, Kingston 11, shortly after leaving a bar where he had gone to purchase cigarettes.

[Naminirt]

No 'bashment' for Ice's funeral - Church won't allow fanfare at dancer's burial
Kimoni Harris, Staff Reporter

Dancer Ice - File
Popular dancer Ice, whose real name is David Alexander Smith, will be buried tomorrow and no outrageous dressing or unruly behaviour will be allowed.
Tommy Thompson, chief executive of Brite Lite Funeral Services, and funeral director, says Ice will not get the usual over-the-top dancehall-style funeral.
"I am of a Christian background and I want to appeal to all persons to dress nice but in a moderate way. We will not be tolerating any outrageous behaviour and the event will be heavily policed," Thompson said.
The service will be held at Our Lady of The Angels Church, 75A Molynes Road, Kingston 10, beginning at noon. Ice was christened as a Catholic and the service will be reflective of that denomination's subdued practices. Thompson also told The STAR that the service will be just over an hour long.

Best behaviour
Natasha 'Pinky' Smith, Ice's sister, told The STAR that she would like people attending the funeral to be on their best behaviour.
"Father of the church has allowed me only three tributes and these tributes will be done before the actual service begins. For this reason, the funeral service will be orderly," Pinky said.
There will not be the usually long and spirited dancehall tributes that typify many such gatherings to send off dancehall [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]personalities[/COLOR][/COLOR]. As a result, the nine-night ceremony will be the place to shine. All persons who wish to give tributes are asked to support this ceremony that will be held at 20 Zinna Avenue, Waterhouse, Kingston 11, tonight.
However, Ice's death has not received the kind of attention that other dancehall personalities, such as Gerald 'Bogle' Levy, who died 2005, usually do. Both Thompson and Pinky told The STAR that support following the dancer's death has been slow in coming.
"No entertainer has contributed, and I can say that without any hesitation, but nonetheless, we will have a good [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]presentation[/COLOR][/COLOR] and you definitely have something to write about," Thompson told The STAR yesterday.
He said that this is his way of giving back to someone he regarded as his 'son'.
"I must say Ice was like a son to me, trust me, he didn't leave any money behind to bury him and his family did not have any money either," Thompson told The STAR.
"I have decided to assist Ice with a splendid funeral because he was a good person," he said.
"I see him many times in the street and once he sees me he will hail me. He has always called me 'Daddy' and because of that mi seh 'yes son'.
"He is a fun person and they say manners take you through the world, and he was a well-mannered person," Thompson said.
Pinky confirmed the claim that the family has not received any emotional or other support from the entertainment [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]fraternity[/COLOR][/COLOR].
"I honestly do not know if it's because I was not a part of the dancehall scene but no one has approached me in regard to my brother's funeral," she said.
Ice was renowned for his 'Gully Creepa' [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]dance[/COLOR][/COLOR], which received international attention following the Olympics, where Usain Bolt performed the move.
The dancer was gunned down in the early hours of Boxing Day, December 26, 2008, along Newark Avenue, Kingston 11. The St Andrew Central [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]police[/COLOR][/COLOR] said Ice was killed moments after exiting a bar where he had gone to purchase a pack of cigarettes. Further reports are that the vehicle in which he was [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]travelling[/COLOR][/COLOR], a Mitsubishi Lancer, was also stolen.

[Peter R]

So wha mek dem wait suh lang fi perform las rites?