An Aberdeen grandfather, famous for his impressive Christmas lights displays, has died aged 81.
For more than 36 years, Eddie Stevenson worked tirelessly to create jaw-dropping winter wonderlands at his home on Ashgrove Road West.
Children and adults would flock from all over to visit Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Minions, Postman Pat and a host of other Disney and fairytale characters.
Eddie was also part of the team that developed the world’s first full-body MRI scanner at Aberdeen University.
However, he will be laid to rest this Wednesday after a five-year long battle with Alzheimer’s.
Eddie raised more than £250,000 over the course of his lifetime for children’s charities before retiring from the creations in 2018.
Eddie earned an MBE for his fundraising efforts back in 2010.
Originally from the Granite City’s Causewayend, he married back in 1970.
He went on to have two sons, Austin and Philip, 44, and be blessed with two grandchildren.
Now, speaking to the Press and Journal, his family have paid tribute to Eddie’s “remarkable spirit”.
Eddie’s son, Austin, 40, said that he was a “family man” who “would always have time for others”.
Edie Stevenson’s family – ‘he was selfless’
He said: “He was very community and family orientated, he was more than happy to get involved in helping people out.
“All the good that he has done for other people, he was selfless. It’s rare nowadays to come across that.
“He has two grandkids who are just young, he doted on them and he loved spending time and doing stuff with them.
“Especially showing them his garage at the house and getting them to help out doing jobs around the house.
“They were special times, we made sure of making a point to them of all the stuff he had been involved in, and we were always speaking about him.
“We are a close-knit family, so we are always speaking about each other.
“We’ve been keeping at them to try to keep them talking about him.
“So, that hopefully he doesn’t get forgotten about.”
Eddie’s Christmas displays were always for the children
When Austin was asked why Eddie poured so much time into his displays, he said it was for the children.
Eddie developed his passion for helping others while working full-time in the biomedical physics department at Foresterhill for over 44 years.
Before that, he started his career at JS Sharpe company in his youth, making spare parts for Rolls Royce engines.
But, it was working at the would-be ARI site, where he released the difficulty that disadvantaged children had in achieving funding.
Austin continued: “He saw the things needed for kids who had physical or mental needs and how they would benefit from adaptations and sensory rooms – things like that.
“The funding for these things are either non-existent or slow to come from a central kitty.
“He thought ‘if I can make a little bit of a difference with these displays, it’ll be all the better.’
“The money was always given to buy the equipment or to help the kids, there was no admin costs or anything.
“It all went to the kids.
“It doesn’t really matter how much was raised, if it can make any sort of difference to some of these kids, that’s fantastic.
During his time there as chief technician he was also part of the team who worked on the first full-body MRI scanner in Aberdeen.
The machine was developed in the late 1970s and used for the first time at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in 1980.
Eddie’s 36-year run of displays
Eddie, despite his protests, was forced to give up the displays six years ago.
With age catching up to both him and his helpers, he was forced to retire from his duties aged 74 in 2018.
Austin said that he was just not “as able” as he used to be.
“It was a bit strange visiting the house and it not being clad with lights, with heaps of cars at the door,” he continued.
“For the first year or two it was strange, but it’s important to remember that he was in his late 70s when he stopped.
“He didn’t really want to stop.
“He eventually acknowledged that, even with help from his friends, they were all getting on in terms of age.
“They were not as able.
“Some of the displays started in April, May or even March time for the larger ones.
“But yeah it was a strange feeling, because it was all I had known all of my life.
“Folk were always asking us where they had gone, there was quite a lot of that.
“It’s nice when folk compliment the displays and stuff like that – because it was all his handiwork.”
Eddie Stevenson battled with Alzheimer’s before his passing
Unfortunately, for the past five years, Eddie battled Alzheimer’s disease while under the care of Angusfield Care Home.
He had a close scare after suffering from a ruptured gall bladder recently, but passed away peacefully and without pain last weekend.
It was a “relief” for the Stevenson family, who struggled to watch Eddie suffer from the neurological disease.
Austin added: “Angusfield’s care was fantastic, they’ve been amazing with him and with the family.
“It was difficult to see initially but as time goes on, you see the week-on-week changes mount up.
“We were fortunate we were able to be with him for almost the entirety of the two weeks.
“It’s sad, there’s no getting away from that.
“On the other hand there is a bit of light relief, it’s an awful disease.
“It robs you of your loved one, and from themselves.
“It wouldn’t have been him in there, Eddie would have been moving about doing things and keeping busy.
“Bu he could only sit in an armchair, he wouldn’t acknowledge you or speak to you.
“It’s all these things that make you think ‘that’s no life’.
“He is at peace now, he wasn’t in any pain – that’s all we can ask.
“We had 77 years up until he was diagnosed, of him with remarkable health until that diagnosis.
“He was never in hospital, to get to that age says something in itself -he had a remarkable spirit and desire to fight through.
“He wouldn’t have lasted as long as he did in that home if he didn’t want to fight.
“It really shows his character.”
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