Daughter's tribute after death of Washington grandfather Sammy Major in Turkey

The daughter of a Washington grandfather who died after being taken ill on holiday in Turkey has paid tribute to her dad and thanked the people who have supported his family.
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Eighty-year-old Sammy Major spent more than a week fighting pneumonia on a ventilator in hospital.

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Daughter Nicola Randles said her dad had passed away just hours after her sister Samantha had been forced to fly home.

“He passed away in the early hours of the Wednesday and my sister had come home on the Monday,” she said.

Sammy has now been brought home and a funeral service will be held next week.

Nicola said her dad, who had another daughter Kim and three grand-children, had lost wife Gloria to cancer two years ago and had been determined to live life to the full. He would not have missed his Turkey trip for the world: “Dad just lived his life day-by-day,” she said.

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"He went out of this world the way he had lived in it, enjoying himself to the last minute.

Nicola Randles with dad Sammy MajorNicola Randles with dad Sammy Major
Nicola Randles with dad Sammy Major

“He had had his 80th birthday party on the Saturday – we had a big surprise party with family and friends – on the Monday he went out with my sister and brother-in-law then on the Wednesday, he went to Turkey.

“On the Wednesday night, they had been out for a drink and he wanted to go clubbing until half past three.

"He loved to sing Dean Martin songs – he used to sing wherever he went. Even on his 80th birthday, he was singing acapella.

“He just loved life and made the most of it.”

Sammy in hospital in TurkeySammy in hospital in Turkey
Sammy in hospital in Turkey
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Nicola said the family had been overwhelmed by an outpouring of love and support for Sammy, a former painter and decorator who was also a keen sportsman: “He was a boxing coach for 30 years and a great mentor to the young kids – some of his his ex-boxers are going to be pall-bearers.

“I just want to say thank you to everyone who supported us,” she said.

"We are just amazed and it has meant so much to us as a family. We have had so many people backing us and that has helped a lot – we don’t feel so much that we are on our own.

Sammy with daughters Nicola (left) and SamanthaSammy with daughters Nicola (left) and Samantha
Sammy with daughters Nicola (left) and Samantha

“How people have come together has been incredible – I have had people I did not even know come in and give us money because my dad used to do work for them.

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“I have just been amazed by how generous people are – it is quite overwhelming.”

Nicola said she had been touched to discover how much her dad had meant to so many people: “He was a great man who was well respected because of everything he had done,” she said.

A funeral service for Sammy will be held at Sunderland Crematorium at 3.30pm on Monday, July 4.

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