Page 65 - eclipse - Autumn 2018

In 2000 Dick was awarded the JA Wright Memorial award for ‘outstanding contribution to welfare of pet animals’.
Dick was a keen writer and was awarded the BSAVA Dunkin Award (1977) and Melton Award (1987) for veterinary related papers. He was also involved in developing the professional standards for veterinary nurses and became editor of the standard textbook (originally Jones’s animal nursing).
Dick became a prolific author writing numerous books on different aspects of animal care such as Veterinary Advice for Dog Owners (2010), various chapters in dog and cat books and publishing dictionaries of veterinary medicine. In 2010 he branched out into a different area, sharing his wife’s love of history, publishing ‘A Victorians veterinary student diary’
Dick retired in 2001 after a very enjoyable and successful career, moving to York to be closer to his grandchildren (Maddy and Max) where he started his second career as a student and global traveller. He continued to maintain strong links with the veterinary profession
and animal charities travelling to many scientific meetings around the world. He used his retirement as an opportunity
to broaden his knowledge studying
for undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at Myerscough College,
Bishop Burton College and most recently his ninth degree at York University.
A major part of his retired life was about supporting the African Sisters of St Mary (www.africansisters.org.uk/) in Tanzania and Zambia; initially as
a veterinary advisor but latterly as
Trustee to the charity spending several weeks visiting them.
Dick also had a passion for sport, he was lucky enough to see the Olympics in London both in 1948 and 2012, and as a direct descendent of Yorkshire’s first professional cricket captain (Roger Iddison) he loved watching county and international cricket.
Dick’s wife Joan died prematurely
in 2001 after a short illness. He is survived by his two children, Athene Lane, Associate professor in social medicine at Bristol University, and Charles Lane, a consultant plant pathologist in York. Dick died peacefully at home on 16 April 2018 having recently returned from a very enjoyable trip to Athens revisiting the places he had been previously with Joan. He was due to present a paper at an animal welfare conference in Norway within the month and then
a five week trip to Tanzania. He was in excellent health throughout his life and enjoyed it to the full!
Here at the RVC we were very sad to hear the news of Dick’s death. He was a frequent visitor to the College, attending various reunions and a keen supporter of the Alumni Fund.
Dick was one of our alumni who attended the RVC’s Graduation Ceremony at Central Hall in Westminster in July 2014, where he was awarded a Degree of Recognition from the RVC. The award, an Honorary Degree in Veterinary Studies recognised the hard work, dedication and determination in bringing the profession to where it is today.
IAN FRANK KEYMER (1952)
Written by Gerald Wells & Dermod Malley Ian was born on 5th February 1923, in Brandon, Suffolk. In 1925 the family moved to Foxley, Norfolk, where his life-long interest in natural history began at a very early age. At age eight he said he wanted to be a naturalist but his father advised that he would be better off as a vet. His boyhood days were spent watching wildlife and breeding and exhibiting rabbits, activities that were occasionally pursued in preference to attending school. He left school after
the outbreak of WW2 and, although already accepted and registered as
a pre-veterinary student (a reserved occupation) at the Royal (Dick) Veterinary College, Edinburgh, an administrative error resulted in military call-up in 1942. Collapsing on a 50 mile route march to “celebrate” the end of army training he was down-graded medically, given an intelligence test and posted to the Royal Army Pay Corps for the rest of the war.
On demobilization in 1947, he obtained a place at the Royal Veterinary College. Among many College memories he recalled his first year examination experiences, praising support from
his chemistry lecturer, Dr Clarke, who was a great ally of ex-servicemen.
He graduated in December 1952 at Streatley and embarked on locum work, seeking experience in many different aspects of general practice and finally finding his niche overseeing cage and aviary bird specialisation in a West London practice. From 1956-1962 u
IN MEMORIUM
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