"There was a real sense of him coming home"
Architectural technologist Stephen worked on the original St Michael’s building plans – before spending his final days with us
When Stephen Wolstencroft spent the last three days of his life at St Michael’s, there was a sense of him “returning home”.
Back in the early Eighties, it was Stephen’s architectural skills which helped create the Hospice building we know and love today.
“Stephen was an architectural technologist who worked for McLennan, Johnson and Blight – later Johnson, Blight and Dees,” said his wife, Rosemary.
“He drew all the working plans for St Michael’s, and would have gone to the Hospice every week during the build.”
St Michael’s opened in 1984, and has since provided care to thousands of patients from across Herefordshire and beyond.
“I know the project was very consuming, and took up a lot of his time, but Stephen knew how important this building was going to be,” added Rosemary. “He was right behind it.”
He retired in 2014, enabling the couple to enjoy their free time in the county they fell in love with after moving from Manchester in the 1970s.
Sadly, Stephen later contracted cancer. He received care from the Hospice at Home team and Marie Curie.
“Stephen had said that he wanted to go to the Hospice at the end of his life, so that’s what we did,” said Rosemary. “He spent his last three days on the Inpatient Unit at St Michael’s, and I think there was a real sense of him coming home.
“A day or so after being admitted, he seemed to be lifted, and he talked to me about the deer he’d seen from his room; a fledgling bird outside; and the fact he’d had a drop of whisky in his tea!
“I think we both felt very fortunate he’d come to St Michael’s at the end of his life. It was a place he was incredibly proud of – and I’m so proud of him.”