A 68-year-old father died in an M25 crash while driving home while carrying the ashes of his recently-deceased mother, according to reports.
Ralph Ellis was driving back from Gatwick Airport to his family home in Aylsham, Norfolk, on December 16 having just returned from South Africa, reports the Sun.
Mr Ellis leaves behind children Tess, Alex and Blake - the latter having told the Norwich Evening News that his son would be “truly missed”.
"It's been traumatic losing him and it hasn't really set in yet, to be honest,” he said.
"It doesn't feel real and we're all still trying to come to terms with losing him. He would constantly message us to see how we were getting on and wanted to know what we were up to at the weekends."
Basildon-born Mr Ellis, who moved to Norfolk in the 1980s to set up a window cleaning business, had been driving near Essex at the time of the crash.
The loss came only shortly after the children lost their grandmother and Mr Ellis’s mother.
Blake Ellis, the youngest son, added: "He was a brilliant dad and very active, teaching us how to swim, ride bikes and play sports.
"He was everything you'd expect from a dad, kind and loving.
"There were a few health issues in his later life but nothing which ever let him get down or set him back - he was a very positive person.
"Dad loved his snooker, football and had green fingers, really enjoying his gardening.
"He also loved listening to live music, mainly rock and blues, and going to live shows.
"He will truly missed and everyone in the family loved him very much."
Mr Ellis’s funeral will be on Tuesday.
