We are very sorry to learn about the passing of Ivan.

In the 15 years of knowing Ivan, my sister and I had never ceased to be enchanted by his warmth, gentlemanliness, witty repartee, and quintessential Englishness, which I refer to as “the Ivan fix”. At our last meal together (a few days before my sister and I were due to leave the UK), we had the usual treat of the Ivan fix, except for an unexpected lapse where Ivan said, “Everyone’s leaving, it feels like the end of an era”.

No. What Ivan said cannot be further from truth.
What he did not know was that our departures (all of us who had the fortune to have befriended him in Newcastle and later returned to their own countries) indeed signal the very start of the Ivan legacy.
He had inspired us all to be open-minded, grateful, and be kind to others.

In this very difficult time, we hope Ivan's family will be comforted, in some ways, knowing that Ivan had made a huge impact on our lives, and that he will be sorely missed and fondly remembered.

Yu Lin & YuChing