A heartbroken family has paid tribute to a wonderful and funny husband, dad, and grandad who tragically died at PureGym in Grimsby . David (Dave) Gladding, 58, died unexpectedly on Monday, March 20, at the Riverhead site after a medical episode, despite efforts to save his life by staff at the gym and emergency services . He leaves behind his wife of 35 years, Dawn, son Adam, 35, daughter Adelle, 31, and four grandchildren to whom he was "devoted" - Brett, 17, Lilly, 13, Maison, five, and Amelia, four. Read more : Grimsby stabbing victim named by family as 'lovely' Jack Howes Dave was a well-known figure on Grimsby Docks due to his
Job as a fish filleter, which he did for most of his life. For a time, he also ran Fred's Fisheries on Freeman Street Market. In the last eight months of his life, David worked as a fish filleter for Excel Seafoods. His wife and childhood sweetheart, Dawn, said: "I knew Dave from Chelmsford School, we started courting when we were 17 and got engaged when we were 19. He was confident and loved dancing. He loved soul music, any soul
music that came on he would be straight on the dancefloor. "If we were invited to any party, Dave would be the first one up on the dancefloor. He was a great dancer - always smart and dapper. He was funny, comical, silly and always up for a laugh." Dave and Dawn Gladding (Image: Submitted) Dawn said Dave was a "devoted" dad and grandad and had been looking forward to a weekend away in Skegness with his two youngest grandchildren. "We went last year and we had another weekend booked at Skegness for Maison and Amelia. Maison would come home and say to his mum, 'It's the weekend, grandad is taking us out on our bikes today'. He was devoted." Dave also had a passion for pigeon racing and was a "well respected" figure within that community. Dawn said: "Years ago he was a big pigeon fancier, he raced pigeons for a number of years, and he was well respected within that. He won a big pigeon race in the 1980s, which he was proud of. He could chat all day long about pigeons." As well as racing pigeons, Dave enjoyed spending precious time with his family and would regularly go on trips abroad to various destinations including Tenerife and Majorca. Daughter Adelle Gladding said: "Growing up as a child, me and my brother Adam went all over. We had a lot of family holidays. My dad was a well-loved person in Grimsby, everyone knew him." Dave has been described as 'funny' and 'comical' (Image: Submitted) A number of emergency service vehicles could be seen in the Riverhead area at around 4.30pm on Monday responding to the tragedy. Dawn said: "Dave would go to the gym three or four afternoons a week and had been a member since 2001. I cannot thank the staff at PureGym enough, they have been absolutely amazing. There were about 14 different ambulance crew but the staff from PureGym and members at the gym immediately started giving him medical assistance. "Family and
Friends have been a huge source of support and the messages I've had, the cards, the flowers, is overwhelming." Since Dave's tragic death, Dawn has set up a GoFundMe page to help with funeral costs and the cost of the Skegness break he had booked with his grandkids. Dave and Dawn were married for 35 years (Image: Submitted) The description reads: "As you all know my name is Dawn Gladding, I am the wife of the late Dave Gladding who suddenly and unexpectedly passed away on Monday 20th March 2023. "Dave was a well loved and liked man and was well known on his fish stall Fred’s Fisheries and as a former avid pigeon fancier for many years, much loved husband and soul mate, a beloved dad and cherished grandad. Any donations will help towards funeral costs and a weekend break which was already booked with the grandchildren. Thank you Dawn xxx." You can donate to the GoFundMe page here . Dave's funeral will take place at 3pm on Friday, April 14 at Grimsby Crematorium. Family flowers only. Donations in lieu of flowers can be sent to the GoFundMe page. READ NEXT: Family man and martial arts coach dies aged 57 just weeks after stomach ache Victims of A180 crash named as Nicola Courtney and three-year-old son Lucas Page South Ferriby crash victim named as 'kind-hearted' and 'helpful' 20-year-old Liam Wong Tragedy as 'funny and mischievous' Grimsby mum, 38, dies leaving family heartbroken Tragedy as Grimsby man, 38, dies on Meadowhall shopping trip Read More Related Articles Scunthorpe woman who lost husband to brain tumour awarded at Downing Street Read More Related Articles Tragedy as man found dead at Cleethorpes guest house