Obituary of Kenneth Ernest Elliott

Ken Elliott was born in London, England in 1927, the only child of Vola Nerush and Ernest Elliott. Ken died peacefully, surrounded by family on December 19, 2024 in Kitchener. He was a dedicated father, grandfather, friend, photojournalist extraordinaire, and passionate member of the Outer Harbour Centerboard Club (Toronto). He leaves his daughter, Susan Elliott Rosenblum (Jerry) and his son, Paul Elliott (Anne), loving grandfather of Eliana (Patrick), Aaron (Anna), Josh, and his second wife, Helene Combret. He is predeceased by his ex-wife and lifelong friend Valerie Elliott Hyman. 

Ken trained in London, England in Commercial Art at the Hornsey College of Art, and later trained as a teacher, although he knew then that he would not teach children. Ken met his first wife Valerie at Hornsey. They married in 1953 and immigrated to Canada in 1954.

His first job in Canada was at MacLeans Magazine, first as an Art Editor and then Art Director. In the early 1960’s Ken decided to become a photojournalist and worked for The Canadian Magazine until the late 1980’s. He took photos of celebrities and world leaders, as well as illustrating with photographs the lives of ordinary folk with interesting stories to tell. He travelled all over Canada and the world documenting and capturing moments of people’s lives and experiences. He enjoyed sharing a beer and lunch with his journalist friends and they regaled each other with their tales.  Decades later, in the 1980’s Ken applied his teaching skills as an instructor of photojournalism at Humber College in Toronto where he taught for a few years.

Ken had a lifelong love of sailing, which he took up in the early 1940’s while in the Royal British Navy.  Although that was during World War 2, and Ken and his mates were still teenagers – Ken was 17 years old when he enlisted – they withstood the challenges partly through the sport of sailing as a healthy distraction. Later, he would take Valerie to the south of England to sail his leaky wooden dingy in the ocean, but the constantly wet and salty clothes were not a selling point for her.  In the early 1970’s Ken loved to sail his Wayfarer dinghy with a convoy of dinghies, including his kids, and friends Don and Trudy Davis, Frank and Margaret Dye, and Bill Bruno as they circumnavigated the open waters of Lake Ontario, Lake Huron and Georgian Bay.  

Ken lived with a sharp mind, his wit and humour, acerbic to the very last day.  His wealth of memories were always present, and as his mobility became restricted, he reminisced, turning the memories over in his mind like meditation stones. 

We wish to express our sincere appreciation to the staff at Lanark Long Term Care residence who were always cheerful and committed to the care of Ken.  Also, the personal care provided by Kristen Robinson and her team.

Cremation has taken place, and a Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, January 5, 2025 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00p.m. at the home of Jerry and Susan Rosenblum. Online condolences and memorial donations to A Tree to Remember may be arranged by contacting Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, at www.erbgood.com or 519-745-8445. (The Tree to Remember link will be available here soon).