Keith Arthur Starkey (5 Dec 1940 - 19 Sep 2022)

In loving memory of Keith Arthur Starkey who sadly passed away on 19th September 2022
Dad was born in Essex and moved to London at 5
He was a south london man, living in plum stead in most of his formative years.
He loved cycling, and as a young man would regularly take his pushbike down into Kent for fun, well fed through ham sandwiches and yes!
He moved onto motorbikes, much to the fear of the locals, and owned numerous bikes, some which worked, and some which required a certain coaxing! He managed to escape a serious fine whilst doing the ton through Greenwich park.
He met my mum through a love of bikes and a friendship with her younger brother Dick….soon they were off enjoying the soho jazz scene, and many bike rallies…..including the infamous battle of Hastings between the mods and rockers
They were married in 1964 and moved into Sittingbourne, finding a shared love of gardening and dogs…..my dad taught, agility, obedience, breed and gun dog …..he had a real love for the working breeds, and although my hounds all loved him, would always say they were like cuddling a sack of elbows.
My dad was a renowned scrum person, and believed in liberating any unwanted produce….so many a fine chutney or jam was supplied by nefarious means.
He was a passionate reader, with an enduring love of science fiction….and firmly believed that much fiction was slowly becoming fact…..
He was actively involved in local politics for many years, and enjoyed nothing better then a good debate on ethics and morality….he had much to say about our current political turmoils….and right to the end of his life, cared passionately that politics should work for the people.
He was without doubt a committed, passionate and essentially decent man whose innate kindness to all was a thread that ran through his whole life. He will be much missed by many…..and as dad would say at the end of every call…cheerio