Memories of Stu Halson

Let me tell you… If working somewhere for 41 years doesn’t make you go insane, I don’t know what does. I have no idea how Stu managed to breeze through the years.

I met him for the first time in October ’22 when he interviewed me. My first impression of him was that he liked talking - I wasn’t sure who was interviewing whom at one point. I got hired and he became my line manager.

He was a great manager. He never said no to any of my requests, no matter what. He was very understanding about family matters and always used to say: “Family comes first.”

Apparently, he wasn’t able to retire quite yet, as he had a big family and it cost him a lot of money keeping everyone happy. Obviously, he said that with a massive smile on his face. He loved his family. “Any more than three kids and you have to buy a huge house and a bus… forget holidays.”

When I started getting into running, he said his partner “runs like a gazelle. She takes off and is out of sight.” That made me laugh.

His jokes were sometimes a little inadequate - the more inadequate, the funnier. I can’t give examples of that as it might get me into trouble at work. :-D

He cared so much about the people he worked with. He wanted us to be truly happy. He had a lot to deal with at work, but never complained - just cracked on with things. He was the glue holding our team together... We miss him terribly.

I will mostly remember him for this: “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.”
Puts things into perspective. I’ll keep reminding myself of that when I feel like having a moan over nothing. Good one, Stu.

Randomly bumping into You and Rachel, (a few times). Fun and smiles, laughter - You in Your purple pimp outfit and Rachel beaming with happiness. I'll see You again one day You Legend ; I know I will.. Massive Love to You Stewart Xxxx

I didn't know you for long but as soon as I met you I felt the love that you shared with everyone. I was so looking forward to more happy times with you and Rachel. Your love shines on and on✨️

"I remember going to the World Cup in Germany 2006 with Stu. There were so many great memories that trip . Him and Jim shoving the Mexican FA president out of the way when he was being interviewed on TV to get in shot themselves was one of them . I will save other stories for a more appropriate time. RIP Stu"

I first met Stu at Sunrise festival. We were all setting up and realised there was a water problem on site - the taps weren't working. Whilst the rest of us had a bit of a moan about it all, coming up with no solutions whatsoever, Stu took himself off into the nearest town and within a very short time delivered a 4 litre bottle of water to each family. It was his random acts of kindness, and our little chats that I'll always remember. Sad to lose you Stu xxx

"Stu was the one who first invited me to Wednesday night footie 23 years ago! We used to car share with Big Jim. As Khal says he stopped playing about 10 years ago and I lost touch with him. ... He was an evil genius of a centre forward. We’d pump the ball up to him, he’d trap it with one touch and then laser guide it past the goalie"

"very sad to hear, 0-60 quicker than I’ve ever seen, normally up to 50 and past me before I’d even noticed, with a wicked shot to go with it."

I played 5-a-side football against Stu for many years in Redstar FC, he was a striker and I a defender. There being no offside rule in 5-a-side Stu would frequently distract me with jokes, laughs and anecdotes until suddenly there was a ball at his feet, he would twirl around me like a ballerina and rocket the ball into the net. Week after week!

I was partly responsible for his testicular cancer diagnosis when one of my rare clearances of his shot caught him in the nuts, eventually leading to Stu going to the docs for further checks. Typical Stu, when he came back he was wearing a footie top with "Juan Goolio" on the back.

There's a few of Stu's old 5-a-side friends who go to a veteran's football event in Belgium every year, and we will be raising a glass or three to Stu this year. RIP brother.

I never spent a massive amount of time with the lovely Stu but when I did it was always memorable. He was so very good at reading the room and the feeling and on more than one occasion made me feel safe when I was feeling more than a little out of place.

The last time I saw him, just a few weeks ago, we shared a mutual rant about the state of the world with lots of swearing about Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and the liberation of leaving Twitter, and my love for Anj as a Celtic supporter despite also being a Gooner!

Rest in Power dear Stu.

I have so many good memories of Stu, he was such a great guy. I first met Stu when we studied at Bristol Poly (now UWE). He always had a smile on his face and a quick amusing comment. This never changed over the years. I also had the good fortune to work with him, for just under 13 years at the BTS (Blood Transfusion Service) as it was then called! He was always quite a joker and never seemed to let anything upset or get to him. When I worked with him in the IT department, he would go over to the Southmead Hospital shop to buy his “Bristol Evening Post”, before coming back to have a coffee/tea with the team. This one particular day when he came back – he looked a little shaken… The picture on the front of his paper showed his flat at the bottom of Ashley Hill with one of the old electric milk floats embedded into it! The following day, he was in work with his usual smile and laid-back nature. He told us that the milk float had been removed and a tarpaulin had been swiftly arranged to cover the massive hole. He then went on to say he had to kick someone out of his flat, as they were thumbing their way through his record collection… 😊 Most people would have struggled to cope, but Stu never let things get to him and had the ability to smile and laugh it off. He then went on to name his Fantasy Football team – “Inter-Milk-Van”!!! I lost touch with Stu for many years as my career path took me in a different direction. However, a chance encounter, when I bumped into him in February, gave me the chance to reconnect. We were planning to meet up in the summer and surprise another colleague, sadly this will no longer happen. But I am so glad to have had the chance to briefly catch up with Stu and see the young man I knew was still the same. Such a sad loss and my thoughts and condolences go out to his family and friends at this very sad time. Mark x

We had a dachshund called Maisie who went everywhere with me and, when Finley and Laurie were playing at Liz and Stu's house Stu suddenly sang "Maisie Daisy, Maisie Daisy Dog" . Maisie died when she was 17 and we sang that little song to her until the day she died
Thanks Stu for being You - so glad I knew you xxx

We had a dachshund called Maisie who went everywhere with me and, when Finley and Laurie were playing at Liz and Stu's house Stu suddenly sang "Maisie Daisy, Maisie Daisy Dog" . Maisie died when she was 17 and we sang that little song to her until the day she died
Thanks Stu for being You - so glad I knew you xxx

Stu was my Manager in NHS Blood and Transplant and he is THE BEST Manager I have ever worked., He is very kind to people, very passonate to work and we all Miss you Stu and you will be remembered for ever.

One of the many everlasting memories of Stu for us Nutters has to be when we were talking one night about our house build going over time and us pulling spaghetti out of the bath plug hole one more time as we had nowhere else to wash up and Stu without stopping for a heartbeat offered, in that incredibly naturally generous-natured way that he had, for us all - Rich, Eva, Carlo and I - to stay at his house while the building work carried on (as we were heading for Christmas) and to treat it as our home, saying that he, Finlay, Ruari and Martha would all be happy to move out while we did (which they amazingly did!) and it was all done in such a gracious, seamless and beautiful way. He was a true friend who saw you and just what was needed at the time, be it fun and mischief or picking you up if you were down, and spontaneously doing it with all his heart. He never stopped showing the beauty he held on the outside, and in, and though we will miss him terribly we have so many memories to hold onto and cherish which will help us keep going. We love you Stu you bloody legend, Rich, Tina, Eva and Carlo xxxxx