A memorial service will be held this month for a top north-east diver who died just weeks after being diagnosed with cancer.
Ian Gray-Taylor, the former boss of the Aberdeen-based National Hyperbaric Centre, emigrated to Gran Canaria with his wife Colleen last year.
But their new life in the sun was cut tragically short, after Mr Gray-Taylor went to the doctor complaining of a sore stomach, and was told he had oesophageal cancer. He died just a month later, on February 25.
The 64-year-old lived in Daviot, Aberdeenshire, before the move to Las Palmas and was well known in the north-east.
And now his wife has organised a memorial service in Aberdeen so that his loved ones here can celebrate his life.
It will be held on April 23 at the Hilton Treetops Hotel, Springfield Road at 2pm.
Mrs Gray-Taylor, who has decided to stay in Las Palmas despite her loss, said: “Family, friends and colleagues are all respectfully invited to come and share their memories of Ian.”
Mr Gray-Taylor’s 40-year career in the offshore industry began after he left the Royal Navy – where he worked on bomb and mine disposals – and moved to Aberdeen to take on a job as a commercial diver with Comex.
He later became operations manager at the National Hyperbaric Centre.
Mr Gray-Taylor eventually set up his own company, IG-T Drilling, carrying out work for oil and drilling companies across the globe – including Las Palmas.
Speaking after his death, Mrs Gray-Taylor, 60 said: “He worked here on and off for five years. I came out with him and loved it so we decided to retire here.
“We just fell in love with it.”
In his spare time, he was a familiar face on the local cars scene and was a founding member of the Aberdeen TVR Club, and was also part of a shooting syndicate.
After moving to Las Palmas, Mr Gray-Taylor was delighted to find a local classic car club and wasted no time in joining so he could show off his car.
Mrs Gray-Taylor added: “Give him cars, shooting and his dog and he was a happy man.”
Anyone wishing to attend the memorial service should e-mail iansmemorial@gmail.com