The husband of a much-loved Barrhead businessman who died suddenly this week has told how the tragedy has left him devastated.
Kevin Paul Finnell, co-founder of F&M Hairdressing, in Cross Arthurlie Street, passed away on Monday at the age of 57.
He had been receiving treatment at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital, in Clydebank, after suffering a heart attack last week.
Kevin’s husband Brian MacMillan, as well as his sister, were at his bedside, reports our sister title The Barrhead News.
Brian, 48, told the Barrhead News. “He was just the biggest part of my life.
“He loved life and he was a great laugh in the salon and the one telling the jokes.”
After working in salons in Bournemouth, Paisley and Glasgow, creative director Kevin was determined to make an impact in his home town and first opened premises in Barrhead with Brian in July 2001.
In November, they were named Salon Team of the Year for Scotland at the 2021 Salon Awards and, in 2020, won the Best Local Salon title at the Salon Business Awards.
“His whole thing was being the best he could be and being the best for his customers,” said Brian.
“When we were finalists [for awards] and it said Glasgow, he would always want it to be changed to Barrhead because he wanted to make sure Barrhead was getting recognised for good things.”
Kevin, who had one sister and seven brothers, was born in April 1964 to Helen and John Finnell and later attended St Luke’s High.
He met Brian on the night of the Millennium and the couple married at Eastwood House in April 2006.
News of Kevin’s death has prompted an outpouring of poignant messages online from many of the people whose lives he touched in Barrhead and beyond.
Paul McIlvenny, co-founder of Barrhead charity Include Me 2 Club, said: “We fondly remember Kevin getting involved with the charity, particularly over lockdown when he and Brian and a couple of staff members from F&M helped with our community meals project. They would deliver meals to people across East Renfrewshire.
“He was such a warm person with such a big smile. F&M put Barrhead on the map and the town will be a lot less bright and shiny without him.”
Kevin’s funeral arrangements have yet to be finalised.
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