|
In Memoriam - Kenneth Kerr
|
President
Mississauga Rattlers Table Tennis Club
February 14, 1934 - April 22, 2013
We are saddened to announce the sudden passing of Ken Kerr. Ken died peacefully in his sleep on April 22, 2013.
Ken was President of the Mississauga Rattlers Table Tennis Club for over 20 years, He was also Executive Director of Ontario Table Tennis Association in a very successful period in 70s and beginning of 80s.
Ken has been a member of the Mississauga Rattlers Table Tennis Club since the 1960s, shortly after he emigrated with his wife Marie from England.
The Club began life in 1963 in the Springbank Community Centre, on Mississauga Road just north of Dundas Street. The building was previously the school house for the village of Erindale, and is now part of the University of Toronto Mississauga campus. Ken provided the coaching program for our novice players in that time.
During the early growth of the club we needed more space than we had in the Erindale Community Hall. Ken helped us find an additional home in Lanor school in Etobicoke.
All this was before we found our present larger and nicer home in the large gymnasium in the Woodlands Secondary School on Erindale Station Road in Mississauga around 1972.
Ken took over Presidency of the club after Mark Ikeno left around 1985. He enthusiastically pursued growth of the club and support of the sport of table tennis. This entailed organizing a number of “exhibitions” in local shopping malls when we carried tables and nets around and invited the shopping public to challenge our players. At that time Becky McKnight and Julia Johnson were doing very well at the junior level and were popular challenges. The club developed several players who have represented Ontario and Canada at the international level. Ken was also central to establishment of the Mississauga and District Table Tennis League in that period.
With Ken as President the club expanded its scope to 16 tables and a membership most seasons of up to 150 players, to be one of the largest clubs in Canada. In 2004 the club was further enlarged by renting space in the Mississauga Chinese Presbyterian Church, where the members have access to nine more tables extending the activity from two nights to four nights each week.
The club operates under the auspices of the Woodlands Community School Council, and Ken has represented our club at most of their meetings.
Ken was also President of the Mississauga and District Table tennis league. That league has been in existence since 1981 and has grown to include 10 clubs and up to 40 teams in four divisions each season. Ken has provided guidance on equipment for the players and clubs in this league helping many of us choose suitable rubber and often making up rackets. He always carried especially sharp scissors to trim the rubber to match the blades.
Under Ken’s presidency, the club has run open tournaments for players in the region, with high level sanction from the Ontario Table Tennis Association.
Ken has provided leadership for the table tennis activities through a hard working committee of volunteers, who share in the necessary tasks needed to maintain these activities. Ken has continued, in his 70s, to play in the club and league, giving the younger members a role model encouraging them to stay active and healthy even as they age.
Ken was a most welcoming presence at the club, friendly to all newcomers, and respected by all who knew him. His sportsmanship and the great respect he gained from his peers will live on. All his friends at the Rattlers send their condolences to the family. As well as a really good friend Ken was a devoted family man. Ken leaves his wife Marie, and daughter Donna. We will all miss Ken.
|