Dedicated to the memory of Stef
This site is a tribute to Stef. He is much loved and will always be remembered.
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Thoughts
I will always be grateful for the laughs, banter and high tales that we shared. Stories that would have people shaking their heads while laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. You will be remembered fondly and with a wide smile when those memories come flooding back in the years ahead.
You were a bright light whose company I always enjoyed and looked forward too. From the evening crag blasts in the Peak, the dancing on the streets of ski towns, the climbing trips - all were enhanced by your laughter and your energy. God how you made me laugh. I would be bent over in tears as we shared some ridiculous joke that seemed to tickle the two of us. You had a gift of a fast mouth and a sharp wit to go with it. You were proud of your Northern Irish heritage and I always enjoyed ribbing you about it as a fellow Northern Irish man. You will always be remembered in laughter whenever I think of 'Top Rope Tony', 'Thieving Stevie ' and 'leaky glasses'.
Although your light was strong, you had a darkness you constantly fought and i am sad that I no longer lived nearby over these last 5 years to try and help. Your light will continue to shine bright in the many people you brought laughter, smiles and good times too. I really hope you truly realised how many people you brought happiness too before you left us all too soon.
You will be missed my friend.
Brian McAlinden
8th August 2022
I knew Stef from Sheffield Ski Village where I attended a snowboard instructors course run by Stef and Andy. Honestly the best course and best teachers around. I thought I knew how to snowboard pretty well before doing the course. I learnt so much more about proper technique and it was amazing. Stef was such a funny guy, life and soul of the party, always smiling and goofing around. He never missed an opportunity to get a pair of skis on and fly down the slope in a totally kamikaze fashion. A big part of the SSV family. One awesome guy. Miss you crazy Geordie 🤘🏻 Xx
Clare Winsor
5th August 2022
I have fond memories of buying my very first snowboard from a bubbly smiley shop assistant called Stefan in Newcastle in the late 90’s. There started a friendship which in recent years had grown more faded as time and distance tends to do, but with Stef you always knew no matter how many years you hadn’t seen each other, you would be instantly welcomed with a hug, a grin and a comedy conversation for starters.
We were both at Uni in Newcastle, and through the love of snowboarding we got to know each other. We would go weekly to the dry ski slope in Sunderland, and when I joined him for a mini season in the Alps he would give me essential lessons to my sketchy snowboarding. Always patient, and always ready with a funny story to cheer my bruised bones and ego at the end of a day’s boarding.
More extremely fond memories of living in Sheffield in the 2000’s and of many nights in The Bull and carry on’s at School Road. Stef got me a job at Quiksilver in Meadowhell that he managed for a while, and then as a ‘buyer’ at snowboard trade shows when he and Andy had Slide, but that was really only so that I could get into the trade shows for research, he was always willing to help out someone where he could.
The fun continued when I moved to London and the Sheffield Crew came down for the Shandon Tower house parties. One of which saw Stef embrace the Neon fancy dress theme in an all-neon pink outfit of tiny running vest and even tinier running shorts topped off with a pink visor. Classic Stefan.
Time goes by so very quick, going through the photos of time spent with Stefan, life has flashed by in a set of images. In all of them it’s so clear that grabbing the very best, the very essence of the goodness of all the people and moments was what Stef did best throughout his life. The world will be a quieter, less fizzy place without him, and we will all have lost a hugely kind soul.
Thank you for being the uniqueness you were Stef. With love and grateful memories. xx
Pollyanna Stringer
30th July 2022