MUCH-LOVED CHARACTERS LOST IN 2021
HEARTBREAKING GOODBYES TO THOSE LOST BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
IT has been a year to forget, but we will always remember the loved ones we have lost. 2020 has been overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic and it is a virus that has taken so many lives.
On top of that, we have also seen some of Hull’s most loved characters taken away from us through other circumstances.
The Mail takes a look back at those muchloved faces we have tragically lost over the past year, starting with the hospital staff who fought on the frontline but tragically lost their lives as a result of Covid-19.
1 Adrian Cruttenden
Adrian Cruttenden, 47, an administrator within the medical records team at Hull Royal Infirmary, passed away in hospital after falling ill and contracting Covid-19 .
He suffered a stroke and sadly died on May 27 - just less than three weeks after he was first admitted to hospital.
2 Richzeal Albufera
Well-respected hospital scientist Richzeal Albufera died after battling “severe complications” of coronavirus.
Richzeal Albufera, who worked as a biomedical scientist at Castle Hill Hospital for 15 years, died on Tuesday, June 9 at Hull Royal Infirmary.
3 Nicola Diles
Nicola Diles became the third hospital staff member helping fight Covid-19 in Hull to have died as a result of the deadly virus.
Nicola had been diagnosed with coronavirus and died at Hull Royal Infirmary on November 15.
4 John Gosnold
Tributes were paid to former longserving Hull hospital consultant Dr John Gosnold who passed away with Covid-19.
He worked as the senior consultant in Hull Royal Infirmary’s accident and emergency department for 26 years until his retirement in 2001.
He died in November aged 78 years.
5 Stretton Wright
Director of golf at Hornsea Golf Club Stretton Wright, 49, passed away after suffering a heart attack while working on a pool renovation in his garden on
May 9.
Mr Wright, who grew up in Hornsea, spent all of his golfing career playing in East Yorkshire.
6 Joe Tripp
The founder and coach at Holderness Vikings, sadly died aged 80 on April 28 after suffering a heart attack.
Having already played rugby at Fenners and coached at Hull Boys Club, Mr Tripp set up his beloved Keyingham Vikings in 1991 - later Holderness Vikings - and stayed there up until his recent passing.
7 Chris Kay
A heartbroken family paid tribute to a well-known Hull rugby coach who will “leave a lasting legacy.”
Chris Kay, 60, from Hull, passed away after suffering a heart attack on April 27 this year.
Chris, a popular and loved member of the city’s rugby community, was still coaching in the days before he died.
8Paul Hill
Tributes poured in for “superhero daddy” Paul Hill following his tragic death from cancer on April 23.
Paul was diagnosed with advanced diffused gastric cancer, a rare and advanced form of stomach cancer, last summer, at the age of 36.
Hundreds of tributes poured in after the family announced his death and wife Jessica thanked everyone for their kind words and paid a further tribute to her “wonderful, brave husband”.
9 Simon Marshall
Much-loved police sergeant Simon Marshall died four years after being diagnosed with cancer.
The Humberside Police Sergeant and dadof-two died peacefully on Saturday, April 11.
Sergeant Marshall was diagnosed in 2016 but bravely continued to work as an active officer in Bridlington up until his death.
10 Mohammed “Ray” Riaz
Legendary Hull restaurant owner Mohammed Riaz tragically died in isolation in hospital after contracting coronavirus .
“Ray”, the man behind Ray’s Place in
Princes Avenue , passed away in the early hours of March 31 at Bradford Royal Infirmary aged 66.
Mr Riaz was a well-known figure in Hull and adopted the name Ray when his popular restaurant Ray’s Place opened in Princes Avenue in 1982.
11 Bob Bunn
Much-loved teacher Bob Bunn sadly died just a few years after a successful double lung transplant.
He taught PE at Winifred Holtby Academy in Bransholme for 30 years, with a sudden diagnosis of lung disease in 2016 meaning he could no longer do the job he loved.
Speaking to the Mail in 2018, at the age of 62, Mr Bunn described the huge shock of being told he had idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, despite exercising every day and having never smoked.
12 Tony Fee
Tributes were paid to “truly selfless” north Hull councillor Anthony Fee who died at Hull Royal Infirmary in May after a short battle with cancer.
Mr Fee was a well-known figure within the city serving as the chairman of Humberside
County Council and representing Orchard Park as a Labour councillor from the 1960s through to the late nineties.
13Tony Foster
The heartbroken family of “loveable rogue” Tony Foster paid a moving tribute to the dad of six who was “loved by everyone”.
The Hull boxer, who spent almost a decade boxing around Hull and Europe as a lightweight, sadly died from liver failure aged just 55.
Two of his seven career knock-outs were against Hull boxing legend Steve Pollard, who eventually managed him and the pair became close friends. 14Imam Hafiz Salik
When Imam Hafiz Salik arrived in Hull from Pakistan he only planned to be in the city for a couple of months.
But 35 years later he had become one of the Hull’s best-loved and respected community leaders who devoted his life to ‘making the impossible possible’.
On December 21 it was announced the 67-yearold leader of Hull Mosque and Islam Centre had died suddenly but peacefully.
15Colin Delasaux
Colin Delasaux passed away aged 75 on August 24 in Castle Hill Hospital , seven months after being diagnosed with an aggressive stage four brain tumour.
He had taught in Hull for nearly 40 years before his retirement in 2003.
His wife Ven said the anonymous letter sent on behalf of the pupils he taught 50 years ago “really helped” her in the weeks after his death.
16Derek Hilton
Respected journalist Derek spent six decades working for newspapers in Hull, East Yorkshire and beyond and was also a stalwart of cycle speedway in Hull.
Derek joined the Hull Daily Mail in December 1960 after apprenticeship on his home town weekly, the Derbyshire Times, followed by National Service. As a reporter he covered most of the major stories in the 1960s, among them the Hull Triple Trawler disaster.
Derek died on Sunday, August 30 - his wife’s 80th birthday - after a long illness.
17Mike Fuller
The man who “put the great into Greatfield” tragically passed away in July.
Mike Fuller, 67, was known to many people in the area around Annandale Road, where he lived, as the smiling gentleman who was always picking up litter.
Karl Conyers, who works as a security guard at Heron Foods in Annandale Road, had come to know Mr Fuller from seeing him out and about each day and considered him an unsung hero of the estate.
18Mike Blackburn
Tributes were paid to well-known Beverley amateur sportsman Mike Blackburn who died aged 82.
In his younger days, he played rugby for Hull and East Riding RUFC and Pocklington RUFC and continued playing for club sides at Pocklington until well into his 50s.
He was also a notable wicket-keeper and batsman for Hull Cricket Club for many years.
19Scott Mchugh
Scott Mchugh was well known in the city after working at the Hull Daily Mail as a sports journalist for several years from 2004.
Mr Mchugh - who was passionate about cricket - was known for his “sharp wit” and perceptive, often humorous match reports.
After giving up playing cricket himself, the “loving uncle” gave back to the community with numerous voluntary roles at Heywood Cricket Club, which he was devoted to.
The club announced his death in August and said he will be sadly missed by all that knew him.
20Les Garry
Well-known Hull counsellor and psychotherapist Les Garry tragically lost her battle with lupus.
She helped people in our city for more than 40 years and showed courageous resilience in the face of multiple severe health conditions - but sadly died on June 10 in St Mary’s Nursing Home, Chanterlands Avenue .
Her family described her as a “vibrant, loving, feisty and intelligent” woman who was “recognised as an outstanding practitioner by her colleagues.