I was saddened to hear of Ken's passing last week, but remember him as a very positive force, not least in the inspiring bravery he showed in the last couple of years.

My fondest memories of Ken are of working the Sunday shifts on the English Desk with him, boy did we draw the short straws, when the otherwise deserted office offered time to chew the fat.

What became very clear from those weekends was that Ken was a proud husband, a doting dad, and had a keen passion for politics, teaching and cycling the commute from Capitol Hill. He was a font of knowledge on Latin America, and often helped me improve a Spanish language translation or to explain the background to a bout of political infighting in the region.

One thing I noticed and liked about Ken was that he was a good listener, a rare virtue in today's world, but you knew he was always weighing up and carefully considering what you told him, before giving his considered opinion.

I liked Ken's outlook on the world, he cared about family, colleagues and the underprivileged in the world and we could do with many more like him.

Justin Cole - London - former AFP colleague