Wendy Gibbons, 60, of Stainburn Avenue, Glass Houghton, promised to continue the legal claim against British Coal that her husband started before he died from the crippling lung disease in June aged just 63.
Charley Gibbons developed a cough just after Christmas in 2007 and was given 12 months to live in April 2008 when he was diagnosed with mesothelioma.


He only lived for another two months but he had already started to build a claim against his employers after he was exposed to asbestos daily while working at a coking plant in Glass Houghton between 1968 and 1978.
Mrs Gibbons is appealing for any of his former colleagues to help in her fight for justice and has had a number of responses this week after appeals on TV.


She told the Express: "When he found out he didn't have long to live, he told me to carry on with this claim for him, for me and for our children and grandchildren.
"We had never heard of mesothelioma. His diagnosis was such a shock. He worked with asbestos every day. We didn't realise what it did. I'm angry because I suppose bosses would have probably known about the dangers but just carried on because it was cheap.


"Charley had worked all his life and was going to enjoy his retirement. Our children were out of the way and we were going to enjoy retirement together. He never even got to retirement age."
Mrs Gibbons is hoping readers of the Express may come forward with vital information on her husband's work.
She said: "We just want to find as many people as possible. We have got to try. That's what my husband told me.
"In the end, Charley almost begged to die. He had gone from being a fun-loving, doting husband, father and granddad and died a terrible death, suffered very bravely.


"I have been told that the mesothelioma had spread right around his lung, his diaphragm and his peritoneum and that this would have felt like pouring concrete into your organs and letting it set.
"I did not dare even give him a cuddle as it used to cause him a lot of pain.


"I'm just glad he isn't suffering any more and I will fight until my dying breath to see justice done for him."
Mrs Gibbons' solicitor, Ian Toft at Irwin Mitchell, said: "Even by the time Mr Gibbons was exposed, employers had known for decades about the dangers of asbestos and the need to avoid exposure, yet as we can see from the number of mesothelioma cases across the UK, thousands of workers were still put at risk."
If anyone has any information about Mr Gibbons' working history, contact Ian Toft at Irwin Mitchell on 0870 1500100 or email ian.toft@irwinmitchell.com.