One of Wales’ oldest businessmen, Colin Brace OBE, Chairman of Braces Bakery, died on February 12, working almost right up to his death after a short illness.

Colin Brace was the grandson of founder George Brace, and had worked in the business since the 1940’s.  He still actively worked in the bakery until as late as last week, and regularly drove up until last year, and received his OBE in 2013.

Brace’s Bakery issued a tribute on Tuesday, which said:

“It’s a sad day at Brace’s Bakery. Colin Brace our Chairman passed away after a short illness surrounded by his family, at the age of 96.  We saw Colin last Thursday at the Bakery when he came to work as he did most days. He will be missed by us all.”

Since the sad announcement, the Company’s Twitter feed has been full of many recollections of a ‘true gentleman’, a ‘lovely man’ and someone who was ‘a pleasure to work for’.

Son Jonathan Brace, 55, told Wales Online he would be missed professionally as well as personally:

“It’s also a big loss to the baking industry.  There’s not that many people with that much experience.”

As he celebrated his 90th birthday, still working hard, Colin described his early his career to the South Wales Argus:

“I did every job that was going,” he said. “I used to do a delivery round with 32 shops on it and then knock on doors and ask people if they wanted bread, which my grandfather started in 1902.  I never worked less than 84 hours a week … when my boys were young they never saw me. Most mornings I would get up at 5am and come home at about 9.45pm.”