Funeral held for Gary ‘the Happy Pirate’ Smith

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The community said goodbye to Gary “the Happy Pirate” Smith Friday. The beloved local children’s entertainer died last week .

Smith was the founder of The Happy Pirates and co-founder of the Pirate Toy Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to gifting toys to kids.

At his funeral Friday morning, one of his daughters remembered the light that he brought to so many, including his own family.

“Throughout the years, Gary was an attentive and loving dad to all six children, often involving them in whatever hobby he was interested in at the time, and there were many. It was a busy, crazy, and really wonderfully full house. We had a lot of fun.”

Smith announced his retirement from the Pirate Toy Fund in 2020, after working with the organization for 25 years. Even after his retirement, he continued making appearances at events and fundraisers.

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