'Gentle soul' Steven remembered after cancer and coronavirus fight

Former Port of Ipswich worker Steven Flewitt, who was enjoying his first year of retirement following a 22-year spell at Dooley Rumble in Great Blakenham, sadly lost his battle against the virus following a brief hospital stay this year.

A grandfather to 15 and a great grandfather to one, Mr Flewitt had been shielding against the virus with his wife of 45 years, Jean, while showing positive signs that chemotherapy was helping him beat lung cancer.

Mr Flewitt was happily married to wife Jean for 45 years (Image: Supplied by family)

The Ipswich Town fan contracted the virus following a brief stay in hospital for a blood transfusion to treat his anaemia. Within a few days of returning home, he was back in hospital.

Mrs Flewitt and their daughter Kelly were by his side during his final days before his death aged 67 on February 10.

Kelly said: "It all happened so fast and we are so heartbroken – it just wasn’t and shouldn’t have been his time.

"He just wasn’t strong enough to fight it even though the chemo was beating the cancer and doing its job.

"Me and my mum could be with dad in his final days at the hospital, which we were – we never left his side in the three days before he passed."

Mr Flewitt's children said he will forever be remembered for being a kind and gentle soul (Image: Supplied by family)

Kelly added she and sister Julie, brothers David and Gary and the rest of the family will remember him for being a kind and gentle family man who gave them a wonderful childhood.

She said: "He was very much loved by everyone that knew him – no one ever had a bad word to say about him.

"He was such a gentle soul that would do absolutely anything for anyone.

"He will be forever missed by all who knew him."

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