Colin Edwards from GPI has reported the death of Kevin Veal, his oldest current employee, on Friday 15 May.
Edwards said: "Kevin started with me in June 1982 and retired in October 2010, he then got tired of sitting around and re-joined GPI in August 2012. Kevin initially was a salesman for Massey Holden, one of our distributors when I started GPI in 1978, but had previously worked for General Paper Industries as an automotive van salesman.
"In 1982 he approached me to talk about joining up with me as an automotive salesperson, but this time calling on distributors instead of calling on end users. We agreed on terms and then went to the car auctions and bought an ex Avis green Falcon Station Wagon that then became his company car. For many years we had a very close relationship and we both worked hard to create GPI.
"In his latter stages he arrived at work in his wheelchair and it led him to his desk where he was taking phone orders until mid-March, but he knew that it was getting harder for him to continue his duties. He made me promise that he would be invited to my 80th birthday party and I assured him that he would be there however subsequent to that the corona virus issue has cancelled my birthday party and Kevin’s diminished health cancelled him.
"For those who knew him please take a moment and remember him, we wish his wife Janet and his two sons the best of health and a long life"