'Gentle giant' Ian Calver dies at home in Euxton

Ian died at home in Euxton after having an epileptic fit on Monday, October 16.

He was a son to Dorothy, a brother to David, 41, and Paul, 40, and an uncle to six nieces and nephews.

Just the night before he had been out for dinner at the Bobbin Mill in Buckshaw Village with his family to celebrate his mum’s 65th birthday.

Dorothy, who works at Morrisons in Leyland, said: “I told two of the younger ones to remember him sat there. He was playing with a motorbike doing wheelies on the table.

“He was a lovely lad.”

Ian, who worked at the Morrison’s garage in Chorley, was diagnosed with epilepsy when he was six years old.

Speaking to the Guardian Dorothy said: “He was helping me with my bucket list.

“I said can I go on a cruise, you can pick where we go.”

Since then the mother and son duo have cruised around the Caribbean, The Norwegian Fjords and the Mediterranean.

A keen football fan Ian supported Blackburn Rovers and was a season ticket holder at one point.

Growing up he went to Balshaw Lane Community Primary School in Euxton, Euxton C of E Primary School and Parklands High School.

He loved to spend time with his nieces and nephews and that is how his brother David will remember him.

“He would do anything for anybody, he was very kind and considerate and he worshipped the ground his nieces and nephews walked on,” said David, who now lives in Darwen with his family.

“He even took some of them down to London to watch The Lion King.”

After Ian’s sudden death Morrisons issued a statement on their Community Champion Facebook page.

It said: “It’s with a heavy heart that we are sorry to inform you that our very own gentle giant, Ian Calver, sadly passed away today - October 16.

“Those that knew Ian well will tell you how much of a kind, caring and genuine nice guy he was.

“The store has lost a great colleague but more so a great friend to all. Rest In Peace Ian.”

The post prompted almost 200 replies from fellow students at Parklands and from the customers who knew him at Morrison’s petrol station.

David said: “There was an article in the Chorley Guardian about him in 1999.

“He had been looking for a job for 18 months with no joy. He had had various interviews and was getting nowhere.

“As soon as he mentioned that he had epilepsy he wasn’t suitable.

“A neighbour had contacted the press and off the back of the article Morrisons contacted him and that led to him getting a job.”

Ian has been working at Morrisons ever since the year 2000.

“He will be greatly missed,” said David. “He was a wealth of knowledge. A lot of people have been into the store since.

“He helped his mum round the house and we used to go for meals quite a bit.”

Ian’s funeral will take place on Wednesday, October 25 at Charnock Richard Crematorium at 10am. His family have invited those to who knew to attend.