Tributes paid to 'larger than life' Hartlepool man who died suddenly in Spain

A Hartlepool businessman, who lived part-time in the Costa-del-Sol, died after falling into a coma while in Spain.

Peter Queen was born and bred in Hartlepool and was well known in the area after running a food truck in Seaton Crew called Peeties Pantry for more than five years.

Long-haul lorry drivers who frequently visited his food truck have even reached out to express their sadness upon hearing the news of his death on January 17.

Peter had given up the business to spend more time with his family, especially his two grandchildren, and to spend more time in Fuengirola, Spain where he lived part time.

Step-daughter, Jenene Dixon, 28, said: “He was an amazing man with a heart of gold and he worshipped the ground my kids walked on.

“He was so kind to everybody, and the kids in Spain they use to call him ‘Papa Pete’ – I use to call him that too, Papa, because I already had a dad, so he was my Papa.”

Peter fell ill on Sunday, January 12 and was admitted to a hospital in Marbella where he fell into a coma and later died.

Jenene added: “My mother donated all his organs because he just would have wanted it that way. He would have given them to you if he was alive. He was just that kind of person.”

The night after Peter’s death saw bars along Fuengirola sea front raise a glass to the well known personality, as he’d been visiting the town for more than 20 years.

Peter’s family have chosen to cremate him in Spain, at Fuengirola crematorium on Friday, January 24 before returning him to the UK. A funeral service will also be held at the crematorium, and there will be a wake at his favourite bar, Brads Bar Torreblanca afterwards.

Peter’s partner and Jenene’s mother Katrina Dixon, is planning on a second service in Hartlepool for friends and family, but has said in a Facebook post that it will not be a funeral or memorial service and instead a celebration of Peter’s life.

Peters step-son, Matthew Dixon has paid tribute saying: “There isn’t much that can be put into words to describe Peter that anyone who ever met him couldn’t already tell you.

“He was larger than life and life and soul of every party – which with him was everyday and he truly lived his life to the fullest anyone ever could.

“He had a gift for making friends, he could walk into a room full of strangers and become fast friends with each of them. Peter would go out of his way to help anyone and everyone despite his loud hellish nature and tenancy to bounce into every object in or out of sight.

“He wasn’t perfect but to everyone who knew him, we wouldn’t have changed a single thing about him, he was and will always be out Pete.”