Pickfords Business Solutions has announced the sad death of its Move Manager Ken Cooley on 16 June following a ten-month battle with cancer.

His funeral took place on 6 July at Canley crematorium in Coventry.  Ken, who leaves two sons and three grandchildren, began working in the moving industry as a porter for Bullens in 1990.    

During his time with Pickfords, Ken managed some of the largest and most prestigious relocations undertaken by the company. His first major job as move manager was Norfolk & Norwich Hospital.  

For a man with no formal training in the removals industry, his acquired knowledge and resourcefulness were outstanding. He had a particular talent for moving safes, and his ability to walk round a library and add up the move without the need for a calculator was truly amazing.  

A tough task master, Ken was well liked and highly respected by all the men he supervised. He would never ask anyone to do something that he wasn’t prepared to do himself, and his commitment to the job was exceptional, working 24-hour shifts to ensure the smooth transition of A&E departments during hospital moves.  

Clive Johnson, who worked with Ken on many major hospital moves said, “Ken was the consummate professional. However difficult things got, Ken always found a way to get the job done and would never let anyone down.” 

Photo: Ken Cooley