Canvey Island Table Tennis Club Announcement

Ron Parker, the Secretary of Canvey Island Table Tennis Club has passed away

Last month, Geoff Banthorpe, the Secretary of the Canvey Table Tennis Club advised us of the sad news, that our long standing friend in local Table Tennis, Ron Parker, had passed away. Unfortunately my email advising this, never reached its destination and we are a little late in reporting the League's sad loss: my apologies to Geoff and his colleagues.

Geoff Banthorpe commented at the time, that Ron Parker, was one of the founder members of the Canvey Table Tennis Club.

Geoff said that:

Ron Parker, who was associated with our club for a very long while, has passed away.  He died on 30th October and his sister informed me that his funeral had taken place on the 13th November, he had made it plain that he didn't want any fuss.

Ron had been our Treasurer for  a long time and people have told me that he was a member for 50 years in all; after moving from the Hollywood Club in Benfleet.

Ron was always known by our members as 'ping-pong Parker'. He was a very generous man. When he gave up driving he bought 2 brand new tables for our club.  He also kept the club financially secure by donating his own money to balance the books and to supply table tennis equipment.

Ron played in the lower divisions and he was playing league matches up until 3 years ago, after which he still practised at the club every Monday and Wednesday until September of last year, when he was taken ill.  He had a pacemaker fitted but his legs were weak and the bus company stopped the bus service from the Water Tower to Canvey, so stopping him from coming to the club. Several members had told him we would pick him up to come to the club and then take him home but he declined our offers.

The Canvey Table Tennis Club held a minutes silence on Wednesday 19th November in Ron's memory.

Geoff added that he was sure that everybody, who has played for Canvey over the years and all of the players from other teams will be sad to hear of the clubs' loss.

Lee McGonagle, Captain of Canvey C, commented that it was fitting that Canvey  C were playing Hullbridge D on the day they heard the sad news. In that Hullbridge team were Janet Finch and Bob Shingleton-Smith, who had both done so much for Canvey with Ron over so many years.


Ken Field, 15th Dec 2015

Author: via Southend Table Tennis League
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