FAMILY, friends, and taxi drivers lined the entrance to 001 Taxis in St Aldate’s holding yellow roses for the funeral of Anthony Green, founder of one of Oxford’s best-known taxi companies.

Mr Green, known to friends and colleagues as Tony or ‘Greeners’, was managing director of 001 Taxis for more than 50 years.

The beloved boss and Oxford United super-fan died peacefully in his sleep on June 26 at the age of 82.

At 10am today, a procession of taxis followed the hearse from St Aldate’s to Oxford Crematorium on Bayswater Road for the funeral to start at 11am.

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Yellow flowers covered his coffin along with a special 001 Taxis flower arrangement.

Family, friends, and colleagues lined the entrance to the company HQ and scattered yellow roses over the hearse as the procession left the depot.

Oxford Mail:

Mr Green’s family wrote a few words in the order of service, saying he was a ‘devoted partner to Di and a loving dad to Tracy and Mark'.

Family members also add he was a ‘devoted grampy to Nikki, Carly, Jack, Marlie and Murphy’ as well as a ‘kind caring stepfather and grandfather to Diana’s children grandchildren’.

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Mr Green and his partner Di share a total of 18 great-grandchildren.

Those who worked with Mr Green said he was a lovely man who liked to have a good laugh and reminisced on how much he loved Oxford United.

Oxford Mail:

Assistant manager at 001 Taxis Belinda Barker has worked at the company for 30 years, and descried him as a ‘very well-respected man’, who was liked by everybody that knew him.

She said: “They were such a good family to work for, good boss, good character, funny and just a lovely guy with a heart of gold.”

She added: “Tony was a massive Oxford United supporter and season ticket holder for most of his life, he rarely missed a game.

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“In later years when he was no longer able to attend the football, he would listen to the game on Radio Oxford, sat in his car where he knew there would be no disturbances.”

Mr Green’s career began with an apprenticeship as a compositor at the Oxford Mail.

Oxford Mail:

Two years later he was called to national service with the Royal Military Police and he was deployed to Northern Ireland.

After his service he returned to his job at the Oxford Mail and met his future business partner Ken Massey. Mr Green and Mr Massey launched their first business ventures in plant machinery hire and U-Drive car and van hire.

Mr Green went on to buy Evans Taxis and Luxicars, and 001 Taxis became a successful business with loyal staff.

Mr Green started the taxi business in Headington at 68 Green Road where he lived with his family, in a bungalow on the grounds and later moved the offices to the city depot.

He lived in Sandford for many years, and spent his retirement in Abingdon.