Streaming of Funeral Service
After watching the service online, if you can leave a guest message to let the family know you have joined into the service, that would be greatly appreciated.
This service will have a password applied once edited, you will then need to contact the family for the password to access.
Following the service, the footage will be posted and you can watch at a later time if you were unable to watch at the time of the service.
What a capable, intelligent and civilised man he was. One of life’s finest role models.
Ken arrived at Blacky High in 1962 when I was in 5th form. I wasn’t in any of his classes but we took to exchanging passing comments on life at the school, or in the broader world outside. Like – Yes Mr Rigby, I knew that hanging a sheet above the quadrangle featuring the Ban the Bomb symbol would get me in trouble. And – Yes Phillip, the deputy headmaster is indeed from another era, and perhaps we should leave him there.
In 1969 I convinced Ken to join a small group exploring Cambodia, and that trip dramatically rearranged his world-view. We exchanged letters over the remaining 55 years of his life; he stayed with me and my family several times in our New York homes.
I have 130 pages of letters he sent me and copies of a few among the many I sent him; I also have an hour of video I recorded last year in the Adventcare common room in which I urged him to talk about all his schools, his family … his life, really.
Anyone interested in working with these wonderful words and images of our Ken may email me at phillipgfrazer@gmail.com
Vale Ken. Our erudite, witty and kind friend. So many good remembrances. Rest well, Riggers. Jane n Lou
I remember Mr Rigby with the utmost respect and dignity…
One of the genuine great people I met during my time at Doncaster High School.
What a life he lived.
Will be dearly missed
He was a special man and he will be missed but I’m sure he would be proud of so many lives that he had touched and inspired and improved upon.
I will always remember his as man who had a gift through his own respect of others to be able to gain the respect and trust of other in incredibly small time frames. He was truly a man of the people. RIP Mr Rigby! Thank you for everything.
Ken & I shared a back fence, over the lane in Blackburn, so spent many hours discussing ‘the meaning of life’ while supposedly gardening. We also shared the experience of growing up in the country on a farm (me from the North-East), a love of teaching (as a past Maths teacher), and a passion for watching the “Hawks” play.
I certainly appreciated his new TV presented by his past students where we spent many nights watching Hawthorn matches, enjoying party pies and sharing travel stories. It was a great to hear his anecdotes of his time in France and his great pride with the strong friendships with his past students. A wonderful neighbour who’ll be sorely missed
Thank you for the opportunity to share in Ken’s funeral. And thanks especially to the Donny High speakers who so perfectly reflected how wonderful Ken was.
When I was injured at school in year 10, Ken visited me at home to make sure I was doing okay. His concern was genuine and continuing. That was the beginning of a friendship with my family that extended well beyond my school years. I recently dug out a photo of Ken at my engagement party in 1999. His wedding gift was thoughtful and useful and is something we still use. Ken always had interesting things to say and was a natural storyteller. It is clear from the many comments about Ken on this page and on a Facebook group that an extraordinary number of people felt the same way about him.
Though I moved to the UK in 1993, over the years I would catch up with him when I was back in Melbourne. As happens in life, we fell out of touch maybe a decade or so ago. On my recent trip in March, I had a really strong feeling that I wanted to see Ken, though I wasn’t sure where he was. Fortunately friends were able to help and I spent a couple of hours with him. It was a wonderful couple of hours. We talked about old times and I learned much about his early life that I hadn’t been aware of. He told me more about his love of the UK and his great friends there. He was easy and interesting company, as ever. A few days later he sent me a message about reconnecting. It was thoughtful and in equal measures sad and joyful. It is with a heavy heart that I now know it was the last communication I will have with him.
Ken, I hope you are up there with your old friends. You will be missed by so many and I hope you knew how much you meant to us all.
Stephanie Dew (Wells), Doncaster High School Class of ‘88
Great memories of Ken of his time at Doncaster High, where five of the six Hill children attended.
Waiting at the back gate, telling the boys to ‘tuck their shirts in.’
And his ‘get steady’ comment.
He came to our house for dinner on several occasions and consequently became a family friend.
He will be greatly missed.
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.”
What a lovely service. Many thoughtful and informative stories of Mr Rigby and his life journey. I knew him in the mid 70s to early 80s as an imposing but friendly Vice Principal at Doncaster High School. Rest in peace, Ken.
Ken was a great teacher and a wonderful friend. My partner and I spent two happy hours with him just a few days before his 90th birthday. He was in wonderful form: funny, witty as always, wicked, irreverent. He enriched and extended so many lives. With his absence now, the world is a poorer place.
Rest peacefully Mr Rigby. You will be missed.
Rest in Peace beautiful man. God Bless You
Mr Rigby was the only teacher I had that made me enjoy going to class. The way that he made every lesson the place I wanted to be, how he managed to captivate his students with a style of teaching that we had never experienced before and would never experience again was incredible. I can honestly say that if you looked up the definition of teacher in the dictionary it would say Ken Rigby. His ability to gain the respect of so many and have them all captivated at every lesson was amazing. If all teachers had the same impact on his students as Mr Rigby did then the world would be full of perfectly taught adults and the fact that so many have so much positivity to share about this man is something i have never experienced before and as a 64 year old great grandmother i wish that my children, children’s children’s children would have had someone like Ken to influence them the way I did but I know they broke the mould when they made him- thank you all of Mr Rigbys family for sharing this incredible teacher with us all- Nicola Delamere – Doncaster high from 1972- 1976 (I think)
Ken “Mr Rigby” was deputy principal at my High School. As a student I remember him as firm but fair and as an adult I realised he was a remarkable person. I was blown away by his generosity with his time – he would come to every art Opening of mine in Melbourne. Mr Rigby, thank you for caring about all your students, you have made a lasting impact on so many of us.
Ken taught me English in Year 7 at Kyneton High School in 1960. I knew he was a fantastic teacher at the time, I just didn’t realise that he would be the best teacher I would ever have. He inspired curiosity, respect and a love of learning in most of his students. He imparted his love of music, language and ideas to generations of lucky students.
What a wonderful service and celebration of an amazing educator and mentor to many. RIP Ken Rigby.
What a wonderful ceremony Ken would have been so pleased with so many expressions of love.It was such a pleasure for James and me to have been part of Kens life
I was a member of the Year 12 English Literature Class at Blackburn High School in 1964. He was an amazing Mentor & a wonderful teacher too. Our second daughter is still amazed that I didn’t go into the CBD to see the Beatles at the Southern Cross Hotel. She won Hard Quiz on her knowledge of the Beatles !! He was a true Renaissance human being. So many memories of such a gifted friend. So glad that I wrote to him after being able to attend my first catch up from 1964.
I was a member of the English Literature Class at Blackburn High School in 1964. He was an incredible mentor & a wonderful teacher !! Our second daughter can’t believe that I didn’t go to see the Beatles in Melbourne at the Southern Cross Hotel. Wonderful memories of an amazing man. A true Renaissance human being.
Thank you Ken Rigby for welcoming me into the Donny High community in 1988. I was year 11, had lost faith in education but you renewed it. Had a lot of great memories, thank you Ken. RIP. Xx
taught me to read (a better class o’ lit), encouraged me to write, to create : took to the pen himself later in life (tho it was unfortunate that he chose, as a subject for one o’ his nascent efforts, the execrable HFC) : bless you KR : true friend, mentor, and paragon.
Remembering Ken as a wonderful man who was always so caring, generous, funny and wise. His enthusiasm for connection and conversation is borne out by his huge number of friends who span multiple generations. Thank you for everything Ken.
A great man who helped so many young people learn about life. Will live on in alot of people’s memories.
As the administrator of the Flemington High School Facebook page with around 1,300 members, it is clear that Ken was widely respected and loved by his students. We are all thinking of the family at this sad time. Much love from the Flemington High community.
xxxx
A lovely man with an awesome character and charm. At Doncaster High School/Secondary College he was a legend, a great role model and a friend to many. Ken will live on in all the people and students who were fortunate to know a great man. RIP
I only knew Ken in the later years of his life, but what vitality he had. A conversation was never boring. And he brought such erudition to each encounter. I know of no other person who could speak of Shakespeare AND the AFL in one conversation, and be so learned and passionate about both. Underneath it all, he was a softie of course. And i grew to love him dearly. He will be missed.
I remember Ken telling me at Flemington High that I’ll never do well in English Literature class but will do well in life. He was a fabulous mentor and friend. Thanks Ken❤️
Doncaster High School students of the 80’s will remember two words that bring back memories of this wonderful man — “GET STEADY”
Ken Rigby was the most respected teacher and principal at Doncaster High for many years. Students flourished under Mr Rigby. Our thanks and gratitude for his life of service to others. A life well lived. May God bless his soul. The Currey family.
Blessings and gratitude to an exceptional man for your contribution to our family.
The Pearson family.
Doncaster.
I remember many happy dinners at Mum and Dad’s house with Ken present. He once asked Mum whether she had any ecclesiastical news. Not the sort of word commonly used in conversations. At Mum’s funeral a few years ago he commented that I had many mannerisms of Mum’s in my eulogy talk. He was always an interesting person to talk with.
I remember spending sabbath camp meetings with you. Farewell till we meet again.
God Bless Tonya
I have many happy memories of living next door to Ken when growing up. I was fortunate to have seen him recently at home and we shared many happy memories.