MARSHALL Thompson will be remembered for his
cheerful nature.
Mr Thompson, who died at the age of 48, was a chef at Southfield care home in Victoria Road, Devizes.
He worked there for 20 years and loved his job.
His family said he always volunteered to work on Christmas Day so he could dress up as Father Christmas.
Mr Thompson had to give up work in 2000 after suffering a number of small strokes the previous year.
In 2001 he had a major stroke which affected his speech and mobility but
despite this he was happy and never complained.
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Mr Thompson was born at Princess Margaret Hospital, Swindon, and attended Holy Rood School and St Joseph's secondary school in the town.
Mr Thompson and his family lived in Wroughton and at 14 he underwent treatment for a brain tumour and missed a year of school. As a result of the tumour he took steroids for the rest of his life.
He always wanted to be a professional cook and he
attended North Star College in Swindon where he passed a City and Guilds catering course.
While he was at college he worked part time at the Bear Hotel in Devizes and the Red Lion pub in Avebury.
His mother and father, Derrick and Rene, took over running the former filling
station in Bath Road, Devizes, in 1973.
Two years later they left to take over Eastleigh Stores in Eastleigh Road and they moved to Devizes at that time.
They ran the stores for about four years and then moved to Brickley Lane.
After he left college Mr Thompson went to work at a college in Isleworth, London.
He returned to Devizes in 1980 and became chef at Southfield care home.
His sister Maureen Jefferies, who lives in Nythe in Swindon, said: "He enjoyed talking with the older people at Southfield. He would sit and chat to them after he had finished his shift.
"Without fail he would work on Christmas Day so he could be Father Christmas.
"When Southfield held its fete he would have a stall selling hot dogs and he would
always do the catering for
retired council workers when their party was held at Southfield."
Mr Thompson also worked at Anzac House, in Moonrakers, when needed to help out there.
He met his partner Angela at Southfield, while she was doing work experience there. They lived together in Devizes and had a daughter, Katie, now 14.
He was a keen angler and fished on the Kennet and Avon Canal in Devizes.
After suffering mini strokes in 1999 he moved into a bungalow in New Park Street, Devizes.
His father died in 2001, aged 74, the same year as Mr Thompson suffered a major stroke and he spent several months in hospital.
He moved to Swindon four years ago with his mother and they lived in Covingham.
He doted on his daughter and they both enjoyed watching Swindon Town Football Club's home games.
Paying tribute to her father Katie said: "He would never complain once about not being able to do the stuff every other dad could do. He would just get on with things and do it with a smile on his face."
Mr Thompson attended the Clapham Hobbs day centre in Cricklade Road, Swindon, Music Alive in Purton, a charity that works with disabled people, and various stroke clubs in Swindon.
His funeral service was held at Kingsdown Crematorium on April 8. He is survived by his mother, his sisters, Maureen Jefferies, Beverley Maull, Christine Johns and brother Michael Thompson.
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