downsmail.co.uk Victor Di Cara


VICTOR Di Cara (89) who has died in Sevenoakswaswell known as the owner of the Il Forno restaurant in East Peckham. The son of a successful fruit farmer from Palermo in Sicily, Victor, the youngest of four siblings,was sent to Britain to be educated and stayed, along with his brother, aerWorld War Two devastated the family business.


Victor enjoyed ballroom dancing in Streatham and taught many people during the 1950s. He seled in Borough Green with his wife Giuseppina before moving to East Peckham where he swapped his painting and decorating business to establish the restaurant. Originally called the Bake Oven, it later became Il Forno. The restaurant welcomed many notable guests over the years including gardener and television star Percy Thrower,world motorcycling champion Barry Sheene and TV anchor man Andrew Gardner . Victorwas father to David, Stephen,


Linda, Nino and Dominic, who said: “Victor loved life. Hewas full of energy and always had a positive outlook and friendly smile. He loved to be busy and greatly enjoyed the company of others. “He never lost his love of art and cras


and inspired many others to go intowork in those areas. On retiring from the restaurant business Victorwas able to go into gardening work for several families and also did decoratingwork for the Mercure hotels in TunbridgeWells and Maidstone, continuing towork until December of 2013.” Victor leaves his wife, children, six grandchildren and a great grandson.


Ann Cooper


ANN Gillian Cooper (74) lived in Loose for 52 years and in the Maidstone area for her whole life. Born Ann Ellison, the daughter of baker


Frank Ellison in Headcorn, she pursued a nursing career, spending 50 years in the profession. Ann trained at Maidstone’s old


Ophthalmic Hospital andwent on towork at theWest Kent Hospital in Marsham Street before moving to the then new hospital in Barming, where sheworked as a theatre sister andwas involved in pioneering work with the hospital’s leading surgeons. Ann finished herworking life at the Alexandra Hospital in Chatham. Shewas married for


40 years to Raymond “Spencer” Cooper, whoworked for the gas board. The couple were very keen gardeners, who planted hanging baskets to give to others. They raised children Ruth and


Bryan. Son-in-law Kevin said: “My mother- in-law had a strongwork ethic and very professional standards. She could be relied on as a child carer just as much as she could be relied on as a nurse.With Spencer she really had green fingers and in some years they made 200 hanging baskets.” Ann, whowas widowed 13 years ago,


leaves her children and grandchildren Amber, Spencer, Joseph, James, Kurtis and Daniel.


Bill Barlow


HILARY “Bill” Barlow (99) lived in Bearsted for 55 years, moving to Kent from his job in Sudan to start work at East Malling Research Station in 1946. Born in Hastings,


Billwas an exceptional student who earned a first class honours degree in botany at the University of Edinburgh. Itwas there that he met his


wife of 55 years, Marjorie, whowas reading chemistry. Theywere married in Khartoum in 1944. Bill had a civil service post at the Anglo- Egyptian Gezira scheme, researching improvements in cotton growing. Hewas also involved in organising food growing on the Red Sea coast to help with the war effort. His lengthy period in East Malling saw him retire as head of plant physiology. Billwas father to Gillian and Michael.


Animals joinwalk


A MOBILE farm experience proved quite an attraction for resi- dents of Holborough Lakes, Snod- land. The Beat Project has been work-


ing in partnership with the South- ern Housing Group to bring a range of workshops and events to the estate. The “Love where you Live”


event started with a small group of people taking a circular healthy walk, according to Jenny Wheeler, the Beat Project's community de- velopment coordinator. “Walkers and other residents


26 Malling October 2014


were then met by an array of ani- mals, from pigs, goats and sheep to baby chicks, rabbits and a tortoise. “There was also an opportunity


to have fun making animal masks and creating healthy fruity kebabs and drinks.” She added that the children es- pecially enjoyed learning about the animals, feeding the larger ones and cuddling the smaller ones.


Jenny thanked everybody who helped out, and especially the family which runs the mobile farm experience.


Jessie enjoys meeting the sheep at the mobile farm


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Gillian said: “My father was determined, enthusiastic, inspiring and positive. He gave a lot to others, for example in guiding young scientists from abroad who came to East Malling for their PhD studies. “My mother and he travelled widely in Europe, Iran, India, Italy, and France. They both loved mountain scenery, and he enjoyed rock-climbing in Scotland and the Lake District. He took part in a Himalayan trek andwas asked to lead another one. “He wrote poetry and stories and had a


keen and enquiring mind throughout his life, exploring many subjects, and learning enamelling as a hobby. He listened to classical music, old and new, all his life.” Michael said “Hewas always interested


in sports, taught me to play table tennis on the dining room table and took me to my first motor race at Brands Hatch. “He retained an interest in sports and


alwayswanted to know the results of the latest tennis tournaments, F1 races etc. He also encouraged me to study andwork in technical areas.” Bill’s local involvement included


delivering meals on wheels and driving for the volunteer car service. Bill, whowas widowed in 1999, leaves


his children, daughter-in-law Sue, grand- children Hannah and Ginny and great- grandchildren Cedric, Cora, Sam and Ben.


Diz Bernall


DESIREE “Diz” Bernall (85) lived in East Malling for about 35 years, working in speech therapy at Leybourne Grange Hospi- tal.With husband Peter she raised daughter Cathy.


Dizwas known


locally for her decades ofwork with the East Malling Conservation Group and many years of chairing the organisation. Her successor as


chair, Roger Roud, said: “Diz led the group with passion


and took us in the right direction with regard to protecting the rural environment and character of East Malling. Conservation and this groupwas a really big thing in her life. Shewas also a regular worshipper at St James the Great Church locally.”


Obituaries


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