Colleagues pay tribute to much-loved ‘mother figure’ after losing Covid-19 fight
SHE was described as the ‘mother figure’ to colleagues and helped those who needed it most.
Tributes have been paid to Sue Gargett who died after battling coronavirus.
She was an “invaluable” employee at North East Autism Society (NEAS) for almost three years. She died, aged 53, in the University Hospital of North Durham, after being taken ill with the virus at Easter.
Sue, who lived in Shotton Colliery, County Durham, worked as a specialist in the Employment Futures team, preparing those living with autism for work, and helping to unlock suitable job opportunities.
Derek Groves, Employment Services Manager for NEAS, said: “Sue was an invaluable team player, who was always ready to jump to the support of her colleagues whenever it was needed.”
Sue’s role involved raising the aspirations of autistic people by helping them to realise their potential and identify their transferable skills, before finding routes into employment.
“She was successful in helping some serviceusers get their first paid jobs and she loved being able to do that,” said Mr Groves. “She was so emotionally involved in her role – she’d be ecstatic if ever someone got a job.”
Before joining NEAS, Sue had spent around ten years at East Durham College, working with people with special educational needs.
During her time with the Society, Sue worked on two key projects: the DurhamWorks youth employment programme, and Moving On Tyne and Wear. She was one of the first members of the Employment Futures department, and was highly respected from the beginning, because of her experience and professionalism. She was a mother figure to the younger members of the team and will be a huge miss,” said Mr Groves.
John Phillipson, Chief Executive of NEAS, added: “Employment Futures is carrying out some fantastic work, making a massive difference to people’s lives, and Sue was a very important part of that success.
“She was a lovely person and my last conversation with her was about how she wanted to run a social group for adults in her own time in the evenings. It was that kind of support and initiative that summed up her special qualities.”
Last week it was announced that another NEAS employee, Margie Blyth, of Sunderland, had also died of coronavirus. Her funeral was held on Thursday.
It is not known how either of the women contracted the virus, but they worked separately, and Mr Phillipson said no other staff, who had been close to them, had shown any symptoms of the disease.
Sue, who had an underlying health condition, leaves her husband, Ian, and son, Andrew.
A private family funeral service will be held on May 20.