Special man to be honoured

A ‘‘lovely, generous soul’’ who died during lockdown will be given a special sendoff tonight by the community served by Grant Stevenson’s dairy for 37 years. Jacqui Boyd, left, and Vanessa Coburn have organised the event, which Stevenson’s son Andrew says is a great idea.

A Timaru dairy owner described as having a ‘‘lovely, generous soul’’ will be remembered at a community sendoff.

Grant’s On the Spot Selwyn St dairy owner Grant Stevenson died on March 17, aged 57, leaving behind a legacy of kindness and caring.

His two retail assistants, Vanessa Coburn and Jacqui Boyd, have organised a community event tonight to honour the man Coburn says was ‘‘very generous’’.

‘‘He was silent in the background. A huge figure, he would not let anyone go hungry,’’ Coburn said.

Coburn, who worked for Stevenson for seven years, said he owned the dairy for 37 years and became a regular, friendly face.

The event to celebrate Stevenson’s life will be held at the park next to the Selwyn St dairy and the band Samson’s Finest has offered to perform for free. There will also be giveaways and mascots.

Thirty-seven balloons will be released to symbolise every year he spent at the dairy.

By yesterday morning 800 people had indicated they were interested in the ceremony, Coburn said.

In 2012, Stevenson was reminding school children that his shop was a safe place for them, after a 9-year-old Oceanview Heights pupil was found injured and distressed 15km away, after a suspected abduction.

At the time Stevenson said his door had always been open if young people needed a safe haven to go to, or needed to use the phone.

Oceanview Heights School principal Sandi Abel remembers Stevenson had a jar for loose change in the shop.

At the end of each year he would donate the contents to Oceanview and Grantlea schools for a year 8 pupil transitioning to Mountainview High School in the new year, to pay for their first year school camp or stationery.

‘‘He was just a lovely generous soul. He’s sadly missed.’’

Grantlea Downs School principal Stephen Fennessey said Stevenson was community driven and ‘‘social actions orientated’’.

‘‘He looked out for all the students in the wider community and knew lots of their names. He really cared,’’ Fennessey said.

Stevenson’s eldest son, Andrew, thought the community event was a ‘‘great’’ idea.

‘‘A lot of people knew him. Dad was cool and a great father. He managed to balance his family and work life.’’

He remembered his father as being a ‘‘big kid at heart’’.

His father grew up in Christchurch before the family moved to Timaru, buying into the dairy when he was 20. The family and staff continue to run the shop.

Stevenson is survived by his wife Wendy, sons Andrew and Matthew, and grandchildren Finley and Baxter.

The community sendoff starts at 5.30pm at Marchwiel Park next to Grant’s On the Spot dairy.