Ivor was born in Dumbarton, Scotland, in 1936, to English parents. When he was 10 he moved to Reading with his Mum and Dad and older sister, June. He went to E P Collier School, where he took his O levels. Ivor started work in 1952 with Berkshire County Council in the Surveyors Department and did all his studying in his spare time, qualifying as a Chartered Civil Engineer in 1966.

In 1955 Ivor met Diana at work. They married in 1957 and moved to Stroud in 1960, where Tina was born. In 1961 they moved to Exeter where they had two more daughters, Dawn and Julie, and in 1965 moved back to Berkshire where Lyn was born in 1967.

In 1973 the family moved to Hereford and Ivor worked for Hereford County Council. This move prompted Ivor to buy a plot of land in a Herefordshire village where he built a lovely home for his family. He was a brilliant DIY man, completing all interior work himself as well as building patios, a lot of gardening and growing his flowers from seed. He was a bit of a perfectionist and could turn his hand to almost anything including practical jokes. He built their next home in Hereford opposite the local church where he became responsible for winding the church clock (a smaller version of Big Ben) even though he wasn’t keen on heights!

Ivor was brought up in The Salvation Army and played the cornet in Reading Central band. Whilst in Hereford he played Jesus when the Salvation Army put on a production of the musical ‘Jesus Folk’.

Ivor had a full life but he also, unfortunately, suffered from depression for most of his adult life, which led him to take early retirement. He and Di moved to Wales where he built yet another lovely home. During his retirement he did a lot of charity work. He undertook a course for Samaritans; worked in an old people’s home near Aberystwyth and a young persons home in Cardigan; and volunteered for Citizens Advice.

Ivor was very sporty. In his younger days he loved cycling and would think nothing of cycling from Reading to see his relations in Colchester or to Lords to watch the cricket or even to the south coast with a friend. He ran for Reading Town; played football for several clubs; played hockey, tennis, badminton, table tennis and squash - regularly beating his son-in-law, 20 years his junior! Later in life, when Ivor and Di retired to Wales, he took up short mat bowls, won the National Competitions and was selected to play for Wales in the British Isles Championships in Ireland. He also played lawn bowls and when he and Di moved back to Reading in 2006 they joined Sutton Bowls Club. When his asthma and COPD got worse, he regrettably had to restrict the number of games he could play. Ivor and Di also played bridge at the Bowls Club, which he enjoyed very much.

Above all, Ivor was a family man. He and Di were married for almost 64 years. He was very proud of his 4 girls and also his 9 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. He was a loving, caring man and was always there for his family, supporting them through challenging times and encouraging them in all that they did - from homework to starting university; jobs and setting up homes. He enjoyed spending time with his family and always felt at home playing board games and cards (especially bridge) with them. It was his love for his family that gave him the courage to fight for so long through his health problems.

He will be greatly missed.