GUY RICHARD STEWART MADDOXwas an attractive, smart and good-looking man with a fabulous smile, which could light up a room.
He was warm and affectionate, a loving man inside and out, bright, lively, generous and sociable but he was also a very private person. Guy loved life and lived it to the full. He worked hard and played hard.
Guy loved his family and cared greatly about those he loved and those close to him gave him great love and received great love.
Guy was born on the 25th July 1974 to Patricia and Nigel; Nigel was in the Royal Navy and later became a Lieutenant-Commander . Guy was a younger brother to Lisa who adored him and loved helping to look after him when he was small. He was brought up in Somerset and at first went to school at St Martins in Crewkerne.
However, he had suffered from circulation problems as a small child and when he was five was diagnosed with a serious heart problem, co-arctation of the aorta and he had a major operation at Southampton Hospital when he had just turned six and thereafter had regular check-ups throughout his life.
The family had been to France a few months before the operation and Patricia remembers that prior to the operation Guy had a very bad reaction to the iodine being pumped through his body. He went into intensive care and when a consultant came to see how he was the consultant asked him how he was feeling. Guy replied that he was hungry. The consultant asked if Guy would perhaps like milk and cornflakes but Guy replied that he would like a bowl of mussels and garlic!
Lisa remembers how funny Guy was when he was young. He would mimic all the adverts on the television and have the family in stitches. She says he was cheeky in a nice way and used to make his Nana Ivy laugh too with his imitation of her rootling around in her handbag to find things, with her eyes turned up to the heavens as though seeking inspiration from above.
Guy always enjoyed life and took great pleasure from the family holidays particularly the time they went to Disney World Florida when he was nine or ten and he loved the regular holidays in Spain.
Guy was very proud of his father, who was awarded the MBE in 1986, and went to Buckingham Palace to see his presentation. He moved to Holbrook, the Royal Naval School near Ipswich, with thoughts of following in his father’s footsteps and won the Attainment Cup in his first year.
However later he changed his mind about the Navy as a career and moved to school at Ashville College in Harrogate, moving to York College.
Sadly his father Nigel died when Guy was sixteen and this affected him very deeply although he was a real comfort and support for his mother Patricia during this period.
After college Guy worked in a variety of positions. He loved being outdoors and loved summer and was a postman for four or five years. He worked for CPP for several years on and off, where he made a great set of friends and also loved working in the construction industry particularly with his Brother-in-law Chris.
He also worked abroad for some time with his then partner Helen, selling time-share holidays in Thailand and Spain. During this period they also travelled around a lot and holidayed in numerous places including the USA. Recently Guy was working on a construction project helping to build York's first Five Star Hotel. Guy was great fun to work with and could be very entertaining, cheering up his co-workers’ days and making the hours fly past.
Guy was always very close to his family. He loved his Nana Ivy, Patricia’s mother and actually persuaded her to move to York, spotting a very nice development that he thought she would like, when he was a postman. He loved visiting her daily and meeting her new friends.
Guy’s friends know that he spoke of his family with great love and respect. He was very close to Patricia his mother and he had great love for his sister Lisa and her family too. He gave Lisa away at her wedding taking her down the aisle. She was very proud of him, as you can see from the wedding photographs. Guy was very proud of her achievements too, with her family and career, setting up 3 companies.
Guy was family orientated and always there for his family, dropping everything if needed. In one emergency when Lisa was admitted to hospital he rushed to her side to hold her hand and did the same when her son Oliver was born.
Lisa’s children found Guy fascinating and he loved them and liked theircompany. He would take Oliver his nephew to the Knavesmire to play football and was always ready for a game of hide-and-seek. He was adored.
Guy loved family occasions and celebrations, such as his brother-in-law Chris’ barbeques and Patricia’s roast dinners. He would eat huge amounts of food and then say, “I’ve had too much, have you got any rennies!” and start moaning, but an hour later it would be, “I’m starving! What is there to eat?” In fact Lisa’s children remember Guy on coming to their house always making for the kitchen, opening the fridge and saying, “What have you got to eat then?”
Guy was the life and soul of any party and friends say he lit up their life and could walk into any room and make everyone laugh and smile with a cheeky grin and plenty of stories. He was always proud of his appearance and respected for his taste, always very well turned out in his designer clothes and Lisa’s children remember he always had a crocodile on his shirts and jumpers!
He was a great friend to a lot of people and through his experience in the construction industry had many skills. When a friend needed a hand with building work or decorating for example he would be there and would help without a thought for as long as he was needed.
Guy was a great supporter of York City Football Club and part of a dedicated group of fans who attended matches regularly. He had a lot of friends and enjoyed travelling around and visiting them in London, Newcastle and Spain but he also enjoyed reading and of course listening to a wide variety of music, an eclectic mix which included Fleetwood Mac, David Gray, Stone Roses, Oasis, Albert Hammond Jnr and Girls Aloud!
Guy was a man with a real zest for life and this makes his sudden death on 2nd November 2009 very hard to take in and accept. He is sorely missed by so many but particularly his family who adored and loved him for who he was.
Patricia and Lisa would like to thank everyone for their love and support, for cards, e-mails and telephone calls and especially for those attending Guy's funeral, even as far afield as Newcastle, London, Wales, The Lake District, Spain, Holland and many other places. They are deeply touched and were overwhelmed at how many friends Guy had, with nearly 300 people at the funeral and over £1,000 being raised for a British Heart Foundation Fund in the name of Guy Maddox, for children with similar heart defects.
This is Guy's everlasting memory for being a beloved and beautiful Son, Grandson, Brother, Brother-in-Law, Uncle and Friend.
He will be missed so badly by so many but a part of him will be kept in all our hearts forever...
We love you Guy... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx
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