The heartbroken wife of an Angus garage owner who lost his long battle with an extremely rare form of cancer at the weekend has spoken of her love for her “easygoing and laid back” husband who “got on with everybody.”
Father-of-three Steven Addison (43) passed away peacefully at home in Arbroath on Saturday surrounded by his family three years after being diagnosed with carcinoid cancer, which usually involves the development of tumours on the intestine or digestive tract.
His wife Pauline (40) said that her husband of 20 years would be a huge loss not only to her and children Rachel (18), Jack (14) and Ben (5) but also to the many customers of A. Addison & Sons Garage in Montrose Road with whom he built up a rapport.
Mr Addison, who had a passion for all types of vehicles, had worked at the family business with his father since leaving school and had built up a loyal client base.
Mrs Addison said, “He loved cars and scooters those were his big passions in life. All different types of people knew him from the garage from the young to the elderly and no one had a bad word to say about him.
“He was so easygoing and laid back and argued with nobody.”
Mrs Addison said the family, including Mr Addison’s parents Maureen and Alec and his “devoted” sister Kay, were organising his funeral which aims to be “a celebration of his life.”
Set to take place in Parkgrove Crematorium at Friockheim on Thursday, it is open to all who knew him.
“It’s not going to be a religious ceremony because he wasn’t religious in any way. But we’re going to have some songs and poems.
“He was really into his music and he picked the songs he wanted to be played. One of them is Quadrophenia by The Who and there are some by The Verve, too. I think it will make it even more special that he picked them himself.”
Mrs Addison, who met her husband through mutual friends in Carnoustie when they were just teenagers, also took the opportunity to thank her own mother, Frances Bange, for her support in the difficult period leading up to his death.
“My mum’s been my rock. She’s brilliant and she was like a second mum to Steven. She was there with us every step of the way.
“We often had to go down to London for treatment and she looked after the kids while we were there. I know they’re very grateful for that.”