Friendships were important to Keith and he enriched many lives with the friendship he gave to others.

Keith Evans – In 5 minutes? – Impossible. It could take me all week, but I’ll do my incompetent best. Keith was born on the 23rd February 1949 in Bideford; North Devon exactly one day after Sheila was born in the same hospital. He always said that he was attracted to the older woman. They both spent their formative years in and around Bideford, and Keith spent his time playing football, racing sailing dinghy's and rowing for the Bideford Reds. He was very successful with the latter, becoming West of England Champion in his class. He obviously had some time for girls though because he and Sheila got together in their teens and were married in Bideford Church at the tender ages of 19 years.

Keith had qualified from Southampton Technical College as an Apprentice Marine Engineer and had secured a job with Houlder Brothers, a bulk carrying shipping line, and soon departed for a 9 month stay at sea, transporting grain between New Orleans and Rotterdam, leaving Sheila on shore awaiting his return. After a while it became clear that neither were happy being apart for so long, so Keith resigned from his job and sought new employment.

Sheila’s dad suggested the Police Service, but at that time Devon and Cornwall Constabulary wanted six footers and had no interest in employing the vertically challenged. However, Surrey recognised his qualities immediately when he told George Ball, the Surrey Recruiting Sergeant, who also happened to be the County Football Team Manager, that he was a talented midfield dynamo who played County level football. He was duly employed and posted to the then Weybridge Division.

Sheila moved up from Bideford to Weybridge and they set up home together in the area that was to become their permanent home. House moves became necessary when, much to Keith and Sheila’s delight firstly Jodie and then Katy were born. Keith toiled tirelessly when he wasn’t at work to renovate each new housing project, but he still had time for football, playing regularly for both the county team and the divisional side.

The latter had a great goal keeper at that time. Admittedly also vertically challenged but I was fantastically agile! Keith also played bowls competitively, playing locally and in competitions with Sheila’s dad when on family holidays – not popular – and competing again at County Standard. Keith spent almost his entire Police Service in the Weybridge, Addlestone, Walton and Chertsey areas. He was well known and well liked in the area, and with his open and friendly nature he forged good friendships with people from every walk of life.

It was these qualities that came to the fore when, as an Inspector he was asked to Chair a Working Group and to oversee the introduction of a new Policing System, later entitled Total Geographic Policing, on the then Addlestone Division. The project was a success and was eventually introduced firstly throughout the county, and then nationally and has now evolved into what is known as Neighbourhood Policing.

His qualities continued to be recognised by Force Management and he was soon promoted to Chief Inspector, spending a short time on the Traffic Department at Chertsey, where he and I worked together for the first time, and then to the rank of Superintendent, becoming the Divisional Commander of the then Addlestone Division.

In many ways this was the pinnacle of his career in that it was the job that he had always aspired to. He was very well respected and appreciated by his staff and the local community and really enjoyed his three years in charge before he was eventually sentenced to work at Police Headquarters – something we all tried to avoid – until his retirement.

When at last that day arrived it was time to realise a dream. Keith had learned to sail with his dad, who had owned his own yacht, and Keith had always wanted to do the same. So, with Sheila’s support he bought ‘Scot Free’, a 30 foot Freedom Yacht and the fun began. A number of short cruises in the Solent honing his crew were followed by trips down to the West Country and across the Channel to France and the Channel Islands, and we learned from every experience, especially the bad ones.

Keith however had always harboured a wish to circumnavigate the coast of the UK and in 2006 the trip began with Keith at the helm. The plan was to go around clockwise in reasonably easy stages lasting about a week. I was privileged to be with him for a number of the legs, including the one between Penzance and Milford Haven, which included a stopover in Keith’s hometown of Bideford.

I could feel that he was very proud to moor his own boat against Bideford Quay where his dad had moored his yacht, and we walked off to visit his mum who was in a care home in the centre of the town. We made the grand entrance into the residents lounge and there was his mum with some of her friends. ‘Here’s my son’, she announced. ‘He’s circumcising England you know’. The trip was completed in 2007 and in many ways satisfied Keith’s sailing desires.

Keith was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2011 and started his treatment immediately. His approach to the condition was simple. He said, ‘I have a progressive illness that is eventually going to be terminal. The medical profession are going to treat me to extend my life. That’s their job. Mine is to live the life I’ve got left, and that’s what I’m going to do.’

Consequently, he was always active, whether it was wood turning, at which he was highly skilled, big boat sailing, racing his remote control model yacht, or playing or umpiring bowls. He delighted in socialising with his many friends or just walking the dog with Sheila. He and Sheila had regular breaks with friends David and Abbie, and as recently as last month he and Sheila even managed a trip with friends Marlene and Chris to the Isle of Wight.

But most of all he loved his time with the whole family, with Jody and Katy, the loves of his life, their partners David and Stuart, and he was especially proud of his Grandson, Jody and David’s son Harry. Keith was a lovely, kind, and warm hearted man. He touched many peoples’ lives both professionally and socially and was loved, admired and respected by all. He was always interested in other people, giving practical support or just listening to what they had to say. He had a great sense of humour and was discreet and loyal and was the epitome of what most people crave in a best mate. Our lives will be the poorer for his passing.

We will all miss you my friend. Rest in Peace.