Simon Charles Ayre (Christowe, 1974)

The following tribute has been provided by Simon’s family.

Simon was born in Long Eaton, Derbyshire on the 17 October 1955. He was adopted into the Ayre family alongside his older sister (also adopted). The family home was in Etwall and he enjoyed his boarding school days for education. 

After Cheltenham College, he went on to attend Teeside Polytechnic, gaining his HND in Chemical Engineering; a career that was to be very successful and one where he was well respected. His career saw him working across several power stations for Costains, Mitsui Babcock, and later PX Ltd. His most notable position saw him as the group commercial manager responsible for the management of the financial and commercial aspects of the contract with Sellafield. Even upon early retirement, Simon continued to do some part time consultancy work for PX which, as his colleagues suggested, highlighted his capability and trust within the company to deliver a professional, confidential service of contractual financial control.

He met his wife Gillian in 1976. They married in 1980, then relocated to North Lincolnshire. Simon’s daughter Sharon was born in 1983 followed a few years later by his son Paul in 1986. Together they also welcomed other foster children into their home over the years. 

Simon’s final working years were at Sellafield where he fell in love with the beauty of Cumbria, and the Lake District. He went on to spend what he enjoyed of his short but full retirement on the banks of Lake Windermere. 

Simon was an intelligent and private man. He enjoyed bird watching, had a love of tigers, rugby, Formula 1 and all fast cars, and enjoyed a good pint of beer. You could always find him in a pub beer garden. He worked hard to provide for his family and then to enjoy his early retirement. 

Summed up by friends: ‘He was good fun and always had a tale’; ‘the nicest grump in the world’; ‘he loved a pint and the crack but always maintained his commercial head and focus on business.’