A Tribute
To
Ken Rushall

I first met Ken on the Friday bash that the older members of the Rugby Cycling Community make every week. It’s a ride of up to 50 miles or so around Warwickshire and often into neighbouring Leicestershire and Northants with a café stop before the return leg for home.

You noted straight away that whilst Ken rode with much enthusiasm and zest, he was also the first to be on hand to support a rider in trouble or who may be struggling into a strong head wind. It was this unassuming, but friendly characteristic that endeared him to so many across a wide age group that he had come to know over the years.

And when you consider that Ken was 82 years old you have to go a long way back to trace his cycling origins that began when he joined the Rugby R.C.C. in the mid-1940s having turned up at the club’s Sunday morning meeting place in Barby Road.

Joining the Army for his National Service failed to curb his love of cycling and he often cycled home to Welton from the Northern Command base at Catterick covering a distance of 160 miles or more! Now how many people could do that today?

Even when posted to the Suez Canal Zone Ken still managed to find a thriving cycling scene where he participated as a member of the Tek C.C. and since then has won several trophies in the Buckshee Wheelers’ Bully Beef Time Trials that has been held annually for cyclists who served in Suez.

On completion of his military service Ken became one of the founder members of the newly formed Rugby Velo that were very active in Road Racing and was soon applying himself to the challenge of racing in the bunch or peloton as they say in France.

But, though Ken loved his racing, he never forgot the sheer joy and pleasure of cycling in the open countryside and, as a long-time member of the C.T.C., regularly took part in their weekly rides often accompanied by his wife Mary.

Ken’s working life ended in the Service Department at CEGELEC where there was much camaraderie amongst the cyclists and following his retirement he found the time to take up take up serious cycling again competing in many Time Trials with the Rugby R.C.C.

More recently, whilst retaining his links with the R.C.C., this very fit pensioner rejoined the Rugby Velo and last year was the proud winner of their Veteran Championship Trophy Cup that he won after competing throughout the season over 10 and 25-mile club events.

And with the next Olympics coming up very soon in London it is perhaps worth remembering that in 1948 Ken and his cousin Gerry actually cycled down to London to watch all the cycling events. Sadly this will not be possible in 2012, but at least we can all have a smile when we watch and think of our dear friend and the contribution that he made to our lives.

You were not 82 years old Ken, but only 82 years young and with your many interests and activities including sailing, fly fishing, ice-skating and badminton; you were an inspiration to us all.

Ken will be much missed by his many friends and he leaves behind his loving wife Mary, Ruth, Mark and family to whom we offer our condolences.