Chesterfield family pay tribute to ‘loving’ taxi driver and dad who would ‘go above and beyond to help anybody’

Steve Phillips, of Chesterfield, passed away on January 12 at the age of 50, after fighting a long-term health condition, leaving his wife Ria, sons Connor and Corey, parents Phil and Christine and two brothers.

Steve was well-known in the area as a ‘special family man’, a ‘valued’ taxi driver for A-line taxis, and an ‘all-around true gentleman’.

Reo Hope, Steve’s niece, said: “My uncle was the kind of person you only meet once in your life. He would go above and beyond to help anybody, even if he was struggling himself. I've never met anybody as caring and loving. He couldn't be selfish, even if he tried. It was just not in his nature. Nobody could ever say a bad word about him. He was kind, he was soft, he was everything to anybody.

"Even though a lot of things had been thrown at him over the last nine years and he struggled with his health, he was always fighting a battle with a smile on his face and trying his best. He was a very strong person and he always stayed happy.

“He was a joker. He liked to play pranks on people and always played pranks on me. I had a fear of Mr. Bean.I went to the toilet to shut the bathroom door and behind the bathroom door was a giant poster of Mr. Bean. I absolutely jumped out of the bathroom and run downstairs and he was in hysterics. He was somebody who could cheer anybody up.

"He was a family man – his family and his dog Copper meant the world to him. My auntie Ria, his wife, has been the biggest rock for that man that anybody could ever ask for. And he adored her to pieces. She has now lost a big part of her life.

"He was a very special family member to us all and we are deeply saddened that he is now not with us. It’s comforting to know he is not in pain but it is still very hard for us to imagine the future without him. I know his personality will last on and he will continue to always be in everyone's lives. He has two lovely sons, and his legacy will always hold on to them.

"At work, he was very passionate about being a taxi driver, and he always said his job was always to make sure everybody got home safe. Seeing people's posts and memories about my uncle has put a lot of comfort within us as a family because it shows how much he meant to other people in the area.

"The response and support from the community and friends have been phenomenal. I think Steve would be absolutely mortified with the unbelievable amount of support and love that poured in for him. He is going to be a big loss within our family and the community.”

Maria Burgess who worked alongside Steve at A-line Taxis said: “Steve was a key member of a company family. He was a wonderful person full of positivity and great enthusiasm for the word ‘bab’. He showed me great kindness as he did to others he met. He will be missed by so many people, he was a big character loved by so many people. Such a sad loss.”

The funeral will take place on Saturday, January 27 and a taxi procession in memory of Steve will depart from Tasty Bites on Chesterfield Road at 11:05 am and will follow the hearse to Brimington Crematorium.