I know that he passed away painfree thanks to the amasing nurses at the Bolton Hospice.
Dad was still fighting right up until the morning he died, refusing the usual amount of pain relief and taking only a small amount to take the edge off.
My Dad was a true fighter right til the end and I am so proud of him.
Also without going into details, it was the cancer that finally took him and not the killer pneumonia he had. I get great comfort in knowing that he beat that B*****D again and remains the only person to survive it.
I would like to thank everyone for all your messages. I would like to thank KEELMAN. You said that my Dad was proud of me and I have worried myself sick for days that I hadn’t made him proud, so thank you.
The funeral will be held at Overdale Crematorium in Bolton at 4pm on Thursday 9th April.
Everyone is welcome. Please no flowers, by Dads request. Instead, donations to the Bolton Hospice will be greatly recieved.
The Hope-Barry Crew x
p.s Don’t be sad, Dad wouldn’t want it. Instead smile and be happy about the good times !
A place where people can reminisce about favourite memories or times they may have spent with my Dad. Or maybe it might be a debate my Dad might have had on here that you agreed with or something he may have said that made you chuckle.
Also I don’t want my Dads’ short life to have gone to waste and would like to do something for him ( in years to come I would love to founder a charity for drivers in a similar position to my Dads) so if anyone has any ideas to keep my Dads’ memory going (like we got forget him) LET ME KNOW!
Thanks everyone
Donna Hope x
p.s please feel free to add your pics of Dad if you hae any to share!
For me, Steve was my Iveco Fan Club partner in crime, we both loved 'em. When I took the ■■■■ out of him for “defecting” when he bought the Magnum, he said it was only an interim measure until he could afford a top of the range Stralis.
He also, through his insistent brain-picking at TC Harrisons in Peterborough, taught me the best way to drive the Stralis for both power and speed, and economy, and was always on hand to swop stories of our bizarre electrical faults. He was the only person who understood what I meant when I explained contracting MS as a side effect of driving too many Ivecos.
I will also never forget the time I broke down at the aforementioned Peterborough Iveco dealer, when he a) told me which fitter to make sure did my repairs; b) arranged for me to be picked up and ferried to his house for a shower and a natter; and c) spent a good few hours sitting talking about life with big deal medical stuff. At the time he had just finished his first 'round of chemo, and was neutrapenic, so we had a long discussion about whether or not it was a good idea for me to meet him as I had a slight cough at the time. He was insistent that it would be fine, and fed me duty-free ■■■■ every time I spluttered. To this day I wonder whether it was me who set off the pneumonia which hit him the following week, although he wouldn’t hear a word of it. He also rang me the next day to tell me he’d shaved his head again after I pointed out that at least when his hair fell out he’d be back to looking like the “Real Biggus”, since we never had quite got used to his more recent luxuriant locks and appetite for facials. Only real men can extol the virtues of moisturising, and Steve was one of the most real men I know. When I saw him next, at Truckfest, I pointed out that he might not want to get too close as last time I nearly killed him. He laughed and gave me a big hug.
It was Steve who tipped me off about how good the route through Coventry up the M45 was these days - I used it only last week and thought of him, in fact, the day before he died. It was Steve who reassured me that revving the crap out of a Cursor engine still is the best way to get it to perform, no matter what the SAFED crew may have you believe. And it was Steve who was the only person I’ve ever met who has understood my “thing” about taking the ■■■■ out of my MS as a means of coping with it. We were rolling about in the kitchen that day my hub gave up. He also taught me lessons about perspective in life which have stayed with me ever since and always will. For that I am truly grateful.
I’ll never forget Ste Hope, and the stories he had to tell, not least about his time at Murfitts. It was his connection to Rikki through his time there that led to me becoming his friend too. Muppets forever. See you on the dark side, Steve.
I knew Steve for many years, and have too many memories to write here, but thought I would reproduce here this weeks column that appeared in Commercial Motor published on the day of Steve’s funeral
Last week I wrote about how TruckNet UK managed to successfully combine being a community website and providing B2B networking. Industry professionals come to the forums not just because its an industry tool, but also because its enjoyable. It is the community side of the forums that attracts the web user, encourages them to stay and start to use the huge wealth of knowledge and experience on offer. Last week the forums passed the half a million messages posted mark. A massive database that is contributed too by all levels of our industry.
Not all the messages posted are industry specific, as with any community discussions vary, on TruckNet none-transport discussions are kept out of the many main forums and posted in the “Bar” or the “Health and Family room”. One member, who had been on the forums since 2003 was very active in posting about his work, We followed with interest his first move from employed driver to becoming an owner operator. Unlike most of the 11,000 members of the forums I actually knew this guy before he started to take part on the forums. I worked with him at Murfitts many years ago, and had met him many times on travels through Europe…
“Bolton Steve” as he was known at Murfitts, Or “Biggusdickusgb” on the on-line forums posted in late 2007 in the health and family room that he had been to his doctor with what he thought was an infected insect bite. This turned out to be leukaemia and from then on his fight was not to survive as an owner driver, but to survive at all. This truck driver told ongoing story of his fight and how he cheated death over the years as it happened. A story told with eloquence grace and courage, He not only told his own story but used the forums to support others who found themselves in a similar situation. On 2nd April 2009 Bolton Steve lost his final battle. Many tributes from people who only interacted with him over the internet are being posted on the website as well as messages from his family and friends.
Steve Hope, a industry professional and true gentleman, you will be missed by many - Muppets forever
As a fellow Euro traveller of the past, I had bumped into Steve when he worked for Murfitts a couple of times, either at ‘The Pub’ or maybe even ‘The Pink Hotel’ and chewed the cud over a meal & glass of wine or 2 as I had with many other drivers.
However, it’s not those times I realy remember Steve for, it’s the help, support & just being a friend of my family, when he was suffering himself, during a time of trouble for us. I didn’t know it at the time as I was incarcerated in Perpignan, France, but Steve was a great supporter of the Free John Vasey & Justice for Drviers campaigns and for that I’d just like to give my thanks and warmest wishes to his family.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t make the funeral yesterday, I was on my way back from Cornwall but my Sister Angela was there and my thoughts were with you all.
He’s going to be a miss at Peterborough this year
Hope your enjoying the fun and frivolity up there mate, it’s the place for some well earned R & R
Mary and I were not allowed to see John for the first 14 weeks when he was incarcerated but Steve used to drop at the industrual estate opposite the prison and within 2 weeks went to see him but was not allowed in
I can only imagine what he said
We used to drive down to Stanstead every month to fly out to Perpignan to visit John, Steve offered his home so we could stay there even when he was away
That was Steve. He knew someone was in trouble and went to do what he could to help
Only sorry owing to my own health problems I could not be there yesterday
