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Ken Kennedy: A man with a passion for green spaces, sport, young people and community


By Chris Saunderson

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TRIBUTES have been paid to a man who devoted 30 years to looking after Moray's lands and parks, and also gave up much of his spare time to sports and youth work.

Doing what he loved, playing table tennis.
Doing what he loved, playing table tennis.

Ken Kennedy (67) always had time to help people - whether family, friends and colleagues.

Mr Kennedy, a lands and parks officer with Moray Council since 1980, died suddenly on Tuesday, March 2 at home in Lossiemouth. He had been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour last March.

Originally from Banff, Mr Kennedy joined the police straight from school and spent four years in London with the Met Police.

He returned to Scotland in 1975 and served in Forres, where he met his first wife Pat, and was later transferred to Elgin.

Ken carries the Queen's baton through Mosstodloch in 2014 before the Commonwealth Games. Picture: Eric Cormack
Ken carries the Queen's baton through Mosstodloch in 2014 before the Commonwealth Games. Picture: Eric Cormack

He left the force in 1977 and after a few years as a watchman at the Combination of Rothes distilleries plant, known locally as the 'purie', he joined Moray District Council as it was then. He was responsible for gardens, play parks, amenity spaces, football and sports pitches, cemeteries and weed killing across Moray.

His colleague of 20 years, Grant Speed, described him as a "good boss" who had total trust in the people under him to do their jobs.

"I was Ken's assistant for 20 years and he interviewed me 30 years ago when I first got a job at the council on the tools.

"We had a lot of difficult times over the years with budget savings but Ken managed to have a laugh most days," he said.

Ken (back right), with youngsters at a coaching session with coach Stephen Gersten. Picture: Becky Saunderson.
Ken (back right), with youngsters at a coaching session with coach Stephen Gersten. Picture: Becky Saunderson.

"He was well liked and knew everybody and everybody knew him. He was very easy to talk to and approachable about anything. He was always helping somebody.

"Ken loved his quizzes and the last few years at work he produced a lunchtime quiz every Friday for people to take part in.

"His knowledge of triva and general knowledge was something else."

Mr Kennedy was passionate about his sport, chiefly football, golf, table tennis and darts.

He went to school with Des Bremner at Banff Academy, who went on to lift the European Cup as captain of Aston Villa and played for Scotland. Mr Kennedy's son Stuart said his father often joked that had it not been for a serious injury at Canal Park in Banff, it might have been him lifting the trophy in 1982 for Villa.

He grew up a Rangers fan through a family allegiance and he and Mr Speed were both ardent fans of the Glasgow club.

"Ken had been counting down the points and the days until they won this season's Scottish Premiership title," said Mr Speed.

Overseeing young players learning the sport at Elgin Academy. Picture: Eric Cormack
Overseeing young players learning the sport at Elgin Academy. Picture: Eric Cormack

Mr Kennedy was a keen table tennis player - a skill nurtured on the kitchen table against his brother in their younger years - and official, founding the Elgin Table Tennis league annual tournament, which was played at Elgin High School, and later nurturing generations of players from across Moray through coaching at Elgin Academy. He was a qualified Commonwealth Games-registered referee and regularly officiated at competition matches in Scotland.

He was still a regular golfer prior to his illness and was a member at Moray Golf Club in Lossiemouth, his home since the early 1980s. He had played at Duff House Royal as a youngster, where his father and Stuart and Scott's grandad was secretary and captain at different times.

Senior Elgin Table Tennis Club...Ken Kennedy...Picture: Daniel Forsyth. Image No.039464.
Senior Elgin Table Tennis Club...Ken Kennedy...Picture: Daniel Forsyth. Image No.039464.

One of his proudest moments was when he was nominated to carry the Queen's baton as it passed through Mosstodloch on it way round Moray in 2014 ahead of the Commonwealth Games. He was nominated for his services to table tennis.

For many years, he ran the Friday night youth club in Lossiemouth Community Centre, with the help of wife Carol and others, and Stuart said they organised numerous bus trips to theme parks across the UK for the kids, as well as the regular football, table tennis and other activities.

Mr Kennedy was also a key figure in the Lossiemouth Soccer Sevens, offering regular small-sided football for local youngsters.

Stuart said: "Dad was the kind of guy who didn't like a fuss and was really selfless. He said it was just doing his job.

"He enjoyed a good quiz and in the early 2000s, for a number of years, he was part of a group that had regular quiz nights in the Clifton Bar, and he was generally the quizmaster."

Graham Leadbitter, the leader of Moray Council, said: “Ken was always a hard working council officer in what was a very community facing role as head of lands and parks and I was really sad to hear of his passing so early in his well-deserved retirement.

At one with nature and a local group in the woods.
At one with nature and a local group in the woods.

“Away from work Ken’s community spirit continued and I have been at numerous fundraising quizzes where Ken was the quizmaster. He was hugely respected and well liked both by work colleagues and in the wider community and he will be sorely missed by many folk.”

Mr Kennedy is survived by two sons, Stuart and Scott from his first marriage to the late Pat, and grandchildren Holly, Emily, Baxter and Lowena.

He married Carol in 1993, and had stepsons Ian, Scott and Robert, and grandchildren Robert, Libby, Charlie, Oliver, Taylor, Leo and Logan. When stepson Scott died, Ken and Carol, became parents to Taylor, Leo and Logan.

He also had a daughter Susan from a relationship before he was married and another two grandchildren, Thomas and Jacob.

Mr Kennedy's funeral took place on Wednesday at Steven Thomson Funeral Directors in Lossiemouth and was private due to Covid restrictions. However, many people, including past and present colleagues from Moray Council, stood in respect as the cortege made its way along Clifton Road, Commerce Street, where he lived, and up St Gerardine's Brae.


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