Llanrwst bids fond farewell to world’s worst Elvis
Sep 10 2008 by Hywel Trewyn, Daily Post

THE funeral of a man who called himself one of the “world’s worst” Elvis impersonators brought the village of Llanrwst to a standstill yesterday.

Villagers looked on as a procession of fellow entertainers paid tribute to Larry Kewley, a much loved son of the Conwy Valley village.

Bus driver Larry died suddenly last month aged 59, while attending a family christening in Galway, Ireland.

He had recently been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

Yesterday afternoon the Catholic Church, at Eglwys-y-Bugail Da, Llanddoged Road, was full of family members and friends who had come to pay their last respects to the entertainer.

Larry was given a lively send-off before the service as two splendid black horses pulled his hearse around the market town of Llanrwst.

The Old Orleans-style funeral cortege was accompanied to the church by five members of the Red Rose Brass and Silver Bell Band playing Elvis’s The Old Rugged Cross. Town crier David Price led the mourners.

Tom Jones lookalike John Prescott, 43, from Ty’n y Groes was among the mourners.

He said: “Larry was brilliant. He was always having a laugh.” He said Larry would often visit him with different people.

“He did a lot of fundraising for charities such as St David’s Hospice,” he added.

Arthur Evans, 62, Larry’s former boss at Crosville buses, now Arriva buses, said: “He was a very charitable fella and would do anything for anybody.”

Former colleague Simon Court, 41, said: “He was a top fella.”

Larry and other impersonators raised many thousands of pounds for local charities, along with his late wife Phyllis.

The funeral service was conducted by Father Damian Grimes and the organist was Tristan Lewis.

The hymns were Morning has Broken, O Lord my God, When I in Awesome Wonder and The King of Love my Shepherd Is.

Donations for the Motor Neurone Disease Association were accepted.