Doyen of the stone machinery business, Cesare Lopez of London company AJ Lopez & Co, died on 2 August after being taken to hospital that day. He was 73.

Cesare leaves a widow, Nina, and a brother, Jack. The funeral was held on 12 August. A mass at the Church of English Martyres in Streatham, London, was followed by a service in South London Crematorium.

Cesare’s brother-in-law, Jim Cooper, and the team at AJ Lopez & Co are continuing to run the company.

Alex Stables, Stone Federation President and Director of stone specialists Stone Productions in London, had known Cesare for nearly 30 years. He told NSS: “He may have been small in stature but he had the personality of a giant. He was always there at the stone shows overseas and in London, smiling.

“He was a very honest man and I think he was one of the most knowledgeable on the machinery side of the business. Back in the early ’90s I went to buy a machine from him. I told him what I wanted and he said: ‘What do you want it for?’ He said: ‘Sit down. Have a cup of tea; have a biscuit.’ I walked out of his office having spent less money than I had intended to thanks to his advice.”

Cesare often complained that machinery was becoming more computerised, sophisticated and expensive than was necessary for stonemasonry and that the large part of the capacity of CNC machines was never used.

Alex Stables concludes: “He will be missed. He was a larger than life, loveable character.”

The firm of AJ Lopez & Co was established in 1960 by Cesare’s father, Anthony J Lopez, after he had moved to England from Milan, Italy. Cesare joined his father in the company in England some years later. In 1966 he married Nina and took charge of the family firm in 1986. The company had started by selling abrasives, but in the 1970s expanded into machinery, initially selling floor polishing machines supplied by Achilli. AJ Lopez & Co continue to represent Achilli in the UK, but are also well known for other brands that Cesare introduced to expand the business, notably Terzago saws, Donatoni equipment, Fantini stone extraction machines and Fraccaroli & Balzan water recycling plant.

The stone industry underwent considerable changes and expansion during the years Cesare supplied it, including the growth of granite for interiors and the diamond tooling to work it, and the machinery supplied by AJ Lopez & Co reflected those changes.

The family have asked for donations to Cancer Research from well-wishers to funeral directors Dowsett & Jenkins (call Rosalind Briggs on Tel: 0208 769 3181), although they say the flowers sent have been greatly appreciated.