Well. He wasn’t really an uncle per se.. more my dad’s cousin, but when you are young everyone is your uncle.
I remember when we used to visit dad’s uncle Horace (or Uncle Horry as we called him) and Aunty Jean and Stevo. We had such great fun times at their place. I still remember getting up early and going into the back room where the old stove was and cooking some toast or something there. Apparently when I was young I once had about four breakfasts there. Once with Uncle Horry, once with Uncle Stevo then when others got up. I was a growing lad.
Stevo got himself an electronic chess game once, which was so exciting for me.. I was a geek even way back then.
Stevo even got a boat we used to go out in.
From time to time we’d visit over Christmas and the whole family would turn up to play cricket there. Uncle Horry even let me drive the tractor when I was young. It had an accelerator you could set at a particular speed on the steering wheel and I just had to steer.
Stevo was right into his squash games and was quite good at it. He used to play often. All the kids loved playing with him when we visited them at Dora Creek in the house his dad built.
Stevo was admitted to hospital this year and found out he had cancer. His mum died of cancer years ago. He asked the doctor about it and it turns out lots of people who have jobs that deal with petroleum products getting onto the skin often will contract cancer at some stage. Stevo being a mechanic had petroleum on him most days, even if just to wash off the oil and grease. They don’t tell you this while you have the job though. The petroleum products are carcinogenic and get absorbed into the skin.
Last night, Stevo passed away with his brother at his side. He will be well remembered by the family. I will have to see if I can make it down to Newcastle for the funeral.
We will miss you, Stevo.
