A man who dedicated his life to helping others has died.

Major David Ramsay, CORR59, of Milton Salvation Army, passed away at his home in Hobart Gardens, Sittingbourne, on Friday afternoon. July 26

He had been battling cancer of the colon for seven years.

His wife, Major Karen Ramsay, paid a moving tribute to her husband, saying his selfless duty brought solace to people at home and abroad.

She said: “He loved the community and wanted to make a difference and make people’s lives better.

“His last two weeks were very peaceful. He was in bed with his family all around him.

“He had no regrets and knew where he was going.

“Of course, we’re sad, but we’re rejoicing in the fact there’s no more pain and he’s at peace with God.”

Mr Ramsay, who leaves four children and three grandchildren, formed the Milton branch of the Salvation Army with his wife in 2003.

He was instrumental in forming the Sittingbourne Street Pastors in 2010 and his missionary work took him to far-flung corners of the globe, including Indonesia, where he spent months helping the relief effort following the devastating tsunami which struck in 2004.

He took part in emergency programmes in Zambia, Malawi and Lesotho, while closer to home his efforts to try to influence change at “ground level” saw him join Swale council’s Local Strategic Partnership.

Mr Ramsay was also chaplain at Sheppey’s Elmley Prison and added to his charity work as a member of the Rotary Club of Sittingbourne Invicta.

Mrs Ramsay said the family has been inundated with messages from around the world from people whose lives her husband touched.

She said: “For his 60th birthday my daughter was going to present David with a scrapbook of his life.

“Because of his deteriorating health she asked people on Facebook for their memories of him.

“There were lots of lovely, lovely memories posted and we were able to read them to him before he died.”

Mrs Ramsay said she will continue her husband’s good work, and added: “David was always full of life, always busy and always fighting an injustice, trying to help the underdog.
“We feel really blessed as a family.”