Where do you start in such tragic circumstances – when you have lost a trusted friend, talented colleague, and an incredible team player who could always tell a good story? We still can’t believe that we are writing this in memory of someone who has been so close to us for every working day over the past 13 years of RED… and a few more besides.
Tony was talented. For anyone reading this who is involved in the world of creative design, then Tony was exceptional. Not only did he have an eye for detail that you would find in an experienced artworker, but he also had the creative ability to bring an international advertising campaign to life. Plus everything in between. From corporate identity to video storyboards, and multilingual magazines to digital media, you could rely on Tony.
Tony was trusted. In agency life, you need dedicated people like Tony to rely on when time is short and the to-do list is long. We spent many good times having early evening and late nights around the iMac to meet our clients’ deadlines. With Tony in the team, you always felt that the impossible was possible and we worked tirelessly together in pursuit of client satisfaction and the highest quality.
Tony was a team player. Not only was Tony an incredibly friendly guy, but he was respectful of all of his colleagues, clients and suppliers. He treated everyone the same and no one felt out of place or awkward in his company. He would never let you down and if he was unable to do something, there would always be a good reason and a plan B to ensure that the job would get done regardless. He didn’t have an ego and you could never accuse him of thinking about himself, on the contrary he would always give credit where credit was due, even if it was to his detriment.
Tony was a story teller. There was never a dull moment. We all enjoyed a bit of craic with Tony, whether it was at the work desk or the bar. Nearly every conversation was a positive one – he had the odd complaint from time to time, but we’re all guilty of that – as he would recount some of his life experiences, current situation or crystal ball into the future. And, yes, some of the stories were repeated a few times, but that only seemed to add to the legend that was Tony Singleton.
Tony was truly passionate. He loved his family first and foremost, and would often relate: how he was punching above his weight with Michelle (his wife); giving us a blow-by-blow account of how his son Ben (an MMA athlete) was punching his opponents; and proudly relating how gifted his daughter Abigail would deliver another knockout performance through her academic or extra-curricular activities. He was also an avid boxing fan, knew everything there was to know about the film industry and could offer an opinion about almost any topic under the sun.
At RED, we will never forget the leading part that Tony played in our success story. He was kind, helpful, loyal and dedicated to the cause. We miss him terribly and still can’t believe that we won’t hear his bad jokes and epic tales ever again. That’s why we feel so privileged to have had the opportunity of working and becoming close friends with the main man, and for that we will be forever thankful.
Our love, thoughts and condolences go out to Michelle, Ben, Abigail and his wider family and friends.
