Kenneth Ives (24 Mar 1930 - 24 Jun 2024)

Many happy memories of a great dad who helped me to become the person I am. Far too many to mention but they will be my everlasting memories. Sue has mentioned holidays in Littlehampton, QE2. There was also the time the car caught fire returning from the mighty Gills. Yes, he is responsible for my original support! Wrestling in front of the TV on a Saturday afternoon!

Mum and Dad would combine with research for school queries from Mrs Mainprice, a teacher at Wainscott, no internet but the resource of a newspaper library! That’s how I know where a frog is on a horse, and how Charles Dickens pet crow died. Mrs M was impressed at my ability to get answer where others failed.

I’m sure they were both disappointed when I chose not to move to Newcastle for uni. However, this was met by Dad returning home that day with the Standard saying you must apply for this job advert. 42 years later, I retired as a tax accountant having returned to my original firm, that of the advert, as a senior partner.

As a family, we struggled with Dad’s commitment to his church family, but with Pauline’s cooking knew we could always get them to visit and that the food would be reported back to friends and family!

We were also there to help him with the decision to move to sheltered housing to keep him with mum for a few more years and keep some independence afterwards. Sadly, this broke the tie with All Saints but the minister at the home was always happy to have Dad and Mum.

As usual, he was with us for Christmas Day and we didn’t know he had such a small time left with us. He was in his normal form enjoying the food and snoring, apparently, whilst wide awake!

By New Year, Dad was in hospital with two broken vertebrae moving to a NHS facility whichwasn’t great. I am thankful that with Graham’s help and Sue’s support we were able to move him into a quality care home for his final few months.

Love you Dad, than you for everything.

In grateful memory of being made welcome into your home.

We will always remember Ken for his wonderful sense of humour and his generosity. This goes back to 1970 when, as a 12 year old, I first met Ken when our family visited the UK for the first time. There were a few more visits over the years but the one that really stays in our memory was our visit in 2014. Ken insisted that we stay a few days with him and Pam and what a special time we had. Ken and Pam were quite happy to take us down to Dover for the day and to Canterbury on another day. He was also so proud to show as around All Saints (we also belong to an All Saints in Somerset West, South Africa) and was so committed and dedicated to his duties to God and His church. Ken insisted that he would drive us to Heathrow and not let us take the train - we were so impressed (and touched) that he was happy to drive on the M25 bearing in mind that he was not a young man anymore. He seemed to love driving and show off his car! So our lasting memory will always be of generosity and that sense of humour. My Mom (Ken's cousin) always loved his sense of humour and he used to love teasing her.

RIP Ken and rest peacefully in the arms of Jesus. You have run your race, good and faithful servant.

David and Judy
Cape Town
South Africa.

Nigel and I have very fond memories of Ken. He and Pam welcomed us warmly when we first went to All Saints about 30 years ago. Nigel and Ken were Churchwardens together for a few years and Nigel joined the serving team. We remember the Servers annual party at Ken and Pam’s and Pam’s brilliant cooking. Ken has already been missed over the last few years. On many occasions I’ve needed an answer to a question about the church and churchyard and thought, ‘Ken would have known that!’ He was very, very proud of all his family.

With many happy memories of days long ago.

Ken was always a fun & interesting person, when we had the pleasure of meeting him at family gatherings. He will be sadly missed.
Love Andy & Jan

I have many memories of Dad and especially some of our holidays to Littlehampton in the caravan our trips to the beach and playing pitch and putt on the middle Saturday so it was quieter at change over day! Our visits to London to see special events and going to his office on Fleet Street. I remember going on the QE2 in Southampton never thinking at 8 years I would spend most of my life around here in Southampton. Dad and I used to walk to the station in Strood him taking the train to London me walking onto Star Hill and work. We had many a discussion! I also remember on Martin and my wedding day standing with him at home when everyone had gone as a special moment together. Dad and Mum were so happy to see Paul and Jenny arrive and he welcomed both Mike and Deb as part of the family. His support of Deb during her citizenship was very special. He was also enjoying seeing Annabelle and Eliasz arrive and watch them grow. During our regular afternoon chats I would often show videos of their antics. He also enjoyed them saying hello when they were visiting and butted in on calls! Our afternoon chats which started when Mum died, were a time when we caught up on the news, heard about ‘the girls’ (care assistants) and what food we both were having. The last couple of years Dad came for a holiday and it was good to get him out especially to see the sea. Miss you Dad!

With over 37 years of memories of my grandad, there isn't enough space here to mention them all!
I remember playing football in the garden at Rolvenden Road with a wool ball and the Radio 2 news music always makes me remember the times staying there as a child with my sister Jenny and me in the bunk beds in the spare room.
We were very grateful for Grandad and Nanny's support throughout Deb's British Citizenship process.
Last year we visited him (myself, my wife Deb and our son Eli) and he and Eli bonded strongly as Eli rode on his great-grandad's lap on the electric scooter and walked along using the walker...until Eli worked out how the brakes worked and how to take them off!
A lifetime of memories to cherish.

In memory of Ken and Pam whom we have been friends with for 50 years.
John and Helen