Obituary Ken Goddard
Kenneth Goddard, the packaging and confectionery editor died on 10 June, losing his fight to cancer. He was 62.
Ken started life as a journalist on a motoring magazine and moved into the specialist field of packaging in 1978. He became assistant editor of Packaging News at Maclean Hunter and then editor. In 1986 he left the packaging press to pursue an entrepreneurial career as an overseas columnist and packaging industry specialist in the world of PR.
For sixteen years Ken was editor of Confectionery Production. A postscript to his journalistic career was when he became publisher and purchased Confectionery Production from Specialised Publications.
Ken was a very well liked and popular person in the media. Hugh Darrington, the doyen food and drink journalist writes: “Years ago, when Ken was editor of Packaging News, he and I shared a room at the Apollo Motel, Birmingham during Packex.
“We checked in early evening and found there was a large crowd of Africans wearing vests and sitting on the car park right outside our room. They had to shuffle sideways to let my car in. Some appeared to be boiling potatoes in a cauldron suspended over a small gas burner. There was very loud music coming from the room right next to ours and through the open door we could see many more Africans in various stages of attire lying on the beds and the floor, drinking from bottles and talking and laughing, raising their bottles to us in greeting as we passed.
“We were due to go to the Packaging Awards dinner that evening and were running late so we changed into our evening suits and threaded our way carefully between Africans as we left. Ken seemed entirely unfazed. In fact, I don’t think he would have commented if I hadn’t. If he had noticed, he didn’t mind, he enjoyed it.
As we left for the dinner, I went to reception and asked if they knew about this unruly party outside our room.
Yes, we do’, said the manager. It’s the Ghana athletics team over here for the Commonwealth Games. Their plane has been cancelled and they have kept one room on until their flight is ready.’
When we arrived back late that evening, the team had gone. The room was silent. I sensed that Ken was disappointed. I think he had been looking forward to spend the rest of the night partying with the Commonwealth Games athletics team.”
There are many stories of his fun, caring and kind personality. He was a true gentleman and always a team player by keeping the industry together. He will be truly missed.
Ken leaves a wife, Stella, and children Gareth and Jessica.
The team at Bell Publishing send our sincere condolences to Ken’s family. The magazine is now being published by Bell Publishing Ltd.
