THE funeral of a former chief ambulance officer and commander of St John Ambulance Kent has taken place.

Doug Ellis, 80, of Knowle Road, Maidstone, died of pneumonia at Maidstone Hospital. He had suffered from a heart condition for several years.

Mr Ellis, known as Roy to his friends, moved to Kent in 1975 with his wife, Doreen. Three years after her death in 1995, he met his second wife, Frances, who was the head of library services at Maidstone Hospital. They were married on his 75th birthday, in January 1999.

Mrs Ellis described her husband as larger than life. "He was a big bloke with a big sense of humour, he was just good fun," she said. "He got on well with everybody and everybody who met him liked or loved him."

Born in Hertfordshire, Mr Ellis served most of his life in uniform. After serving with the Army in Italy and Greece from 1943 until 1947, he joined the Metropolitan Police. In 1956, he became an ambulance driver in Hertfordshire.

Years later, he discovered that his grandfather had also been a soldier, police officer and ambulance man.

Mr Ellis transferred to Essex before becoming Kent's chief ambulance officer.

In 1988, he opened Kent Ambulance's Trust's new headquarters in Coxheath together with the then minister for health, John Moore.

He retired a year later and became commissioner of St John Kent and subsequently commander.

Vanessa Hannan, chief executive of St John Ambulance Kent, said: "Doug was the most charming gentleman who was always ready to listen and made huge efforts to visit and talk to as many volunteers as possible, expressing appreciation of their work.

"Doug did not shy away from difficult decisions and behaved with such honesty and integrity, he was an example to all."

Mr Ellis also leaves three children, five grandchildren and two stepchildren.

Mr Ellis died on May 3. His funeral took place at Vinters Park Crematorium, Maidstone, on May 21. The family have asked for donations, instead of flowers, to be made to St John Ambulance or the British Heart Foundation.