Tributes paid to ‘one of a kind’ anaesthetist from near St Asaph

Stephan Hugo died aged 60 on September 15, having suffered from lung disease.

He is survived by his wife, Jane; his daughter, Marni, and his brother and sister.

Stephan with wife Jane and daughter Marni on the day of Marni's christening (Image: Jane Hugo) Born in Pretoria, South Africa, Stephan moved to North Wales in 1989, and went on to work at the HM Stanley, Abergele and Ysbyty Glan Clwyd hospitals.

In that same year, he met Jane, who was working as a medical secretary at HM Stanley at the time, and they married in Rhuddlan in 1996, before Marni arrived in 2006.

A GoFundMe page, set up in Stephan’s memory, has so far raised £13,105 to put towards the intensive care unit garden project at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan - www.gofundme.com/f/stephan-hugo.

Jane celebrated the life of her husband, who she described as a “larger than life” man.

Stephan cycling with Marni (Image: Jane Hugo) She said: “Life was never dull. He was always up to mischief.

“When working in Cardiff once, he went into the canteen in his theatre gowns, but was told he was not allowed to be served in his gowns - so he said: ‘that’s fine’, and took them off so that he was just in his boxers!

“He was caught cycling round the corridors of Glan Clwyd at one point, as well. He was crazy, but very much a people person.

“He was always late home from work because he was either seeing patients, doing emergency lists, or helping trainees with exams.

“He worked in intensive care for about 12 years, and when he was in intensive care himself, he was looked after unbelievably.

“In his last few years, when he couldn’t do very much, he loved to sit in the garden (at Glan Clwyd).”

Jane added that her husband was always a “very big sportsman” – he even managed to fit in a round of golf on the morning of their wedding at Northop Country Park Golf Club, where their reception was also held later that day.

“Rhuddlan Golf Club is where he spent about half of our married life!” she added of Stephan, who was also a keen skier, runner and cyclist.

Stephan before a round of golf with Marni (Image: Jane Hugo)

Stephan cycling in Tenerife (Image: Jane Hugo) Aled Pleming, a consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, worked with Stephan for almost 20 years.

He described him as a “most capable and conscientious colleague”.

“He often went well beyond what is expected in the care that he gives to patients, and ensured that they are as relaxed and at ease as possible prior to entering the anaesthetic room and is assiduous in his post operative care,” he said.

Stephan Hugo (Image: Jane Hugo) “He was one of the most recognisable and approachable doctors in the trust, and was always willing to help a colleague, whatever their station in the hospital hierarchy.

“Many of his patients, including relatives of mine, remember his care and his joyful manner years after their brief contact with him.

“Dr Hugo was one of a kind, and his contribution to the hospital and its patients far exceeds most of us that work here.”