THE widow of a popular headteacher who died last week said that he told her he loved her each day in the period leading up to his death.

Susan Morgan, wife of executive head of Conyers School in Yarm John Morgan, said she did not want to hide the fact that her husband had suffered from depression.

Father-of-two Mr Morgan died suddenly at his home in Lealholm, near Whitby, last Wednesday.

Speaking to The Northern Echo, Mrs Morgan, who is deputy head of Whitby Community College, said: “For the last three days of his life, every day he said ‘I want you to know I love you’. And I can’t ask for any more than that.

“He lived his life for us and for his job.”

She spoke of her husband’s love of sport – particularly cricket and rugby.

Mr Morgan also went through two ballots to get prized Olympic tickets for himself and his sons, Christopher, 30, and Andrew, 26, to watch the athletics.

“That is why it was so unexpected and sudden,” said Mrs Morgan.

“He had been suffering from depression, but recovered and had been fine over the past few years. But then it hit again, and it was much more dramatic and sudden this time. He had conquered it once and we hoped he would get through it again.

“He was managing it as well as he could, which was very well, but obviously on that day he suddenly couldn’t and he died – he killed himself.”

Mrs Morgan said there was a lot of stigma around mental illness, which is partly why she wanted people to know about her husband’s depression.

“My sons and I don’t want to hide from the fact he was ill,” she said. “If anyone else is in a similar position they should know that it is an illness like any other illness and you should get help in the same way. There is a lot of stigma, but just because you are depressed doesn’t mean you can’t perform well in a job where everyone thinks you are fantastic and function well.”

* A funeral service will be held at Scarborough crematorium at 2pm on Friday, followed by a thanksgiving service for Mr Morgan’s life at 4pm in Glaisdale parish church, near Whitby. All are welcome to attend.