Tributes to volunteer Eric

A great- grandfather who volunteered at a care home despite being 20 years older than some of the residents has died following a short illness.

Eric Wise, 93, visited the Brabourne Care Centre, in Hythe Road, once a week until a year ago, when he broke his hip and was no longer able to push the tuck shop trolley taking goodies to elderly people who could not go shopping.

Mr Wise, a retired farm manager from Kennington, will be remembered for helping people whenever he got the chance.

His daughter, Sally Starley, said: “He was one of the kindest people you would ever meet. He was always helping people.

“He used to be a Samaritan and when mum ran the volunteer bureau he would take people to the hospital, do their gardening or sit with them. Whatever needed doing, he would do it.

“At one point he used to deliver meals on wheels and he used to go along his street, putting the wheelie bins out for the elderly residents.

“It used to make us laugh when he was at Brabourne because he’d say he was looking after the old people and he was 92 – most of the ‘old people’ were 10 or 20 years younger than him.

“He was a real old-fashioned gentleman and a family man – he loved his family. He also had a terrific sense of humour, right up to the end.”

Despite working outside for most of his life, including as manager of Warren Farm, Boughton Lees, for 25 years, Mrs Starley said her dad had “the most wonderful skin” without a wrinkle or a blemish and no one could believe he was 93.

Mr Wise died in Pilgrims Hospice on Sunday from lymphoma, cancer of the lymph nodes, just 10 days after discovering a lump.

He had four children, seven grandchildren and nine greatgrandchildren. His wife Sylvia died nine years ago.

For funeral details contact Earl & Co Funeral Directors on 01233 620522.

Hard-working volunteer Eric Wise