Poignant final journey for Angus trucker.

Lorry driver’s family fulfil his wishes to forego a hearse for his last-ever ride

A dedicated Angus trucker made his final poignant journey yesterday on the back of his lorry from the fleet in which he completed a lifelong love affair with the open road.

Mourners at Parkgrove Crematorium near Friockheim gathered to receive Mike Willox from Arbroath as the family of the 71-year-old kept a promise that they would secure the appropriate but unusual mode of transport in place of a traditional hearse.

Friends had also been encouraged to wear working attire in honour of the popular family man, whose love of Scottish music was also reflected in the emotional service.

Born in Aberdeen in September 1945, Mr Willox spent a large part of his childhood in the Mearns village of St Cyrus and attended Edzell school.

He left school at 15 and began working in forestry in the Mearns.

However, it was his determination to be a lorry driver that led to Mike landing his first job behind the wheel with BRS in Arbroath.

He later moved to transport firm Cheyne of Kintore and then Piggins of Montrose but latterly had been behind the wheel of one of the steel trucks owned by Tayside firm Brown and Tawse.

Mr Willox met his wife, Evie, at the age of 18 at a chip shop in Forfar and the couple were married in 1967.

They have three children, Julie, Michael and Murray, and his daughter said the family were hugely appreciative of the firm’s generosity in making sure Mike was able to make his final journey in such an appropriate fashion.

“He would have loved it. His grandchildren loved to go in his lorry and be high up, spending time with their granddad, laughing away at his banter,” she said.

The Parkgrove congregation heard tributes paid to a fun-loving and popular man, with what was described as a fantastic work ethic which led to him taking hardly any days off during the career he loved.

“He had a real zest for life and was always very interested in other people,” added Julie.

Pictures: Paul Reid. Mike Willox’s coffin was transported from Arbroath to the crematorium in Friockheim on the back of his own Brown and Tawse lorry, freshly painted for the occassion – in accordance with a promise made by his family.