Tribute to John Plews

The University of Teesside would like to offer its deepest sympathies to family and friends of John Plews and pay tribute to a valued and respected colleague.

John, 31, died while on a climbing expedition in Spain. He and two of his companions, Colin Riddiough and Paul Dick, lost their lives in a blizzard as they were climbing Mulhacen, Spain’s highest mountain.

John had worked at the University for four years as Electronic Publishing Developer and in that time he made many friends right across the University community. His warmth, sense of humour and patience will be greatly missed by all who worked alongside him.

Working in the Corporate Communications Department, John was responsible for the development of this website. He was also studying at the University and after graduating in 1998 with a degree in computer science, was working towards his masters.

But John wasn’t just a talented and creative colleague; he was a friend, someone who was easy to talk to, fun to be with and a caring person.

Professor Graham Henderson, Vice-Chancellor, said: "The University community was shocked to hear such sad news. John was an outstanding colleague and a much-liked and valued member of staff. Our deepest sympathies are with John’s family."

Siobhan Jones, Director of the Corporate Communications Unit, said: “John was a popular and very talented member of our team. His enthusiasm and creativity helped us to transform this website. He always had time to help his colleagues and had a warm sense of humour. Our thoughts are with his family and all his friends.”

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