Alfonso Fernandez Tucay Jr (20 Oct 1979 - 10 Nov 2022)

On November 10, 2022, our dear son, brother, husband, father and friend, Alfonso Fernandez Tucay, Jr., passed away suddenly at the age of 43. He’s survived by his wife, Caroline Spencer, their two children, Gabriel and Rafael, his son Benjamin with his former spouse Sarah, his mother, Janet, and his sister, Christi. He was preceded in death by his father Alfonso Sr.

Alfonso was born on October 20, 1979 to parents Janet and Alfonso Sr. in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. He moved with his family to Southern California in 1983. As a young child in Southern California, Alfonso developed a love of swimming which led him to join his high school water polo team. Alfonso took his talents to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), winning two national championships during his college playing career.

After graduating in 2002, he spent a year playing professionally in Douai, France. He settled in London in 2007, where he attended law school at the London College of Law. He was inducted into the Law Society in 2009, and started his legal career with Frank Brazell & Partners. At the time of his passing, he was working with the team at the Bar Standards Board.

Alfonso was a renaissance man. He taught himself to play the ukulele and often strummed and sang to family and friends. He was an excellent cook who loved to share his Filipino heritage through food and always had a variety of art projects in progress. Whether it was watercolor, colored pencil or elaborate paper cut illustrations, many of his friends and family have his original pieces hanging on their walls. In more recent years, he extended his passion for creative projects into remodeling the home he shared with his family.

Alfonso and Caroline met by chance in June 2010 in their friend’s living room after separate nights out. Despite being tired, they talked all night long. They fell in love quickly, exchanging “I love yous” in just six weeks. The pair moved in together in 2012 and were married in October of 2017. Chatting was a hallmark of their relationship – they talked about everything. They loved working together on “Spucay” projects ranging from planning their wedding, to renovating their home, to raising their boys.

Alfonso cared deeply for his family and was a hands-on, active parent in Ben, Gabe, and Rafi’s lives. Whether spending afternoons with them in the backyard, in the pool, local parks or simply evenings at home around the table, he was more proud to be their dad than anything else he’d accomplished in life. Fatherhood was his life’s calling.

Loved and adored by everyone who met him, Alfonso’s gentle nature and laid back outlook on life spread calm and confidence to those who surrounded him. He was simply irreplaceable and will be deeply missed.

The funeral service will be held on Monday, 5th December at St. Columba’s Church 37 Queenhill Rd, South Croydon, CF28DW at 11:30am. A child-focused service to remember Alfonso will be held later in December.