A man who was killed after being hit by a car on the M62 has been named locally as a "wonderful" dad.
Ste Rowley, 51, was named as the man who was killed when he was hit by a Mercedes on the M62 between junction eight (Burtonwood) and nine (Stump Cross) in Warrington on Sunday, March 19. Mr Rowley, who leaves behind Maz and their eight children, was a maintenance officer with Warrington Primary Academy Trust (WPAT) and was closely connected with Beamont Primary School.
A statement from the trust said everyone was "deeply shocked" at what happened, describing him as a 'valued member' of the team, Cheshire Live reports.
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Paul Ferguson, WPAT’s estates manager, who worked closely with Mr Rowley, said: “There aren’t enough words that could describe what a great man Ste was. Nothing was too much trouble for him. He always had a smile on his face and he couldn’t do enough for people. He’ll be missed so much.”
The Trust said Mr Rowley was "woven unto the fabric" of Beamont Primary School and had been a long standing parent, with all of his children either current or former pupils. He became caretaker in 2015 before taking up the role of maintenance officer, working across WPAT's eight schools.
He has been described as a "larger than life personality who endeared himself to everyone he met". The Trust added that his personality was 'as vibrant as his unique look'.
The Trust added: "When he entered a room you knew about it and it was a rare occasion when you didn’t part company with Ste without feeling a little bit better about life."
Louise Smith, WPAT’s CEO, said: “We’re heartbroken to hear of Ste's passing. He was a wonderful colleague and friend to us all – a genuinely helpful and dedicated colleague who went out of his way to help. We will miss him enormously.”
Chris Forrest, chair of trustees for WPAT, added: “I am shocked and saddened by Ste’s sudden death and offer my sincere condolences to his family at this very difficult time. Through his hard work Ste showed his dedication to the children in all our schools. He will be much missed.”
Bank Quay Bulls Amateur Rugby League Club also paid tribute to Mr Rowley and have launched a fundraiser to give him 'the send-off he deserves'. Donations can be made at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/rk9y5s-ste-rowley
A statement from the club said: "Ste is a parent of our U12s. He is a well loved man who went above and beyond for our club. A gentle man with a heart of gold.
"We are sending all our love and strength to his wife and children at this extremely difficult time. We will be holding your hands every step of the way.
"A GoFundMe page has been set up for the family. We as club will be raising funds over the next few weeks."
Anyone who witnessed the collision or captured anything on CCTV or dashcam is asked to contact Cheshire Police on 101 quoting reference IML 1504176 of Sunday, March 19.
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