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VALE BERYL KILNER

Sadly, Beryl Kilner, who had so many friends and was so well liked in the Doncaster Bowls club passed away on May 27 after a long illness.

 

She joined Doncaster in April 1989 and within three years was fully involved in the Ladies Section. She has done so much over all the years in different capacities, that her duties and achievements needed a separate file.

By 1992 she was the Junior Vice President of the Ladies section, she then became the Senior Vice President, the President and the Immediate Past President in the years that followed to 1996. Later she was the Acting Junior Vice President four more times between 2004-2007. Beryl was  the Ladies Section Secretary from 1999-2002.

She has also served on different Committees continuously from 1990-2016:   Tournament, Indoor Biased Bowls, Forward Planning, Management, Food Hygiene Officer and Thursday Night Meals. (When she handed over the kitchen duties to me I was so impressed with her detailed planning and thoroughness.)

Beryl was a measurer from 2002-2006.

The Club presented her with a well deserved Certificate of Appreciation in 2004.

She had many bowling achievements:   the VLBA State Triples Equal 3rd 2004-5;  Runner Up VLBA Pairs 2007-8;  Club Pairs 2009-10 & 2012-2013;    Ladies Pairs championship Runner Up 2014-15;    VLBA Pennant Sectional Winners (Division A1 )2004-5 (Beryl played at this level for many years.);  VLBA Saturday Sectional Pennant Winners (Division 2, Section2) 2009/10;   Saturday AB Pennant Section Winner ( Division A, Section 2)2010/11 ;  Member Saturday Pennant (Ladies Only) Division 9 Premiers 2013/14;  also a member of the best performing rink in 1990 & 1991 and then between 1990 & 2010 a delegate , a committee member and the Vice President twice for the VLBA Group 15.

A1 Section Winners 2004-2005, Beryl middle row extreme right.

In Pennant Beryl asked to play as a second because of her hearing disability. It was hard for her to hear what the skip’s instructions were if she played third. She played in the Ladies National Carnival in every Australian state, also playing in New Zealand and on Norfolk Island.

 

Beryl was brought up in Newport and Box Hill. She met Keith, her husband of  59 years, at an afternoon square dance when she was 13, they were teenagers together at Sunday School and Church. Beryl became a dress maker of formal gowns and wedding dresses, she made her own wedding gown. She also made the heavy gold curtains along the northern windows in the dining area of the clubrooms.

They have two children Darren and Melissa, Melissa would help in the Club kitchen for several years, Darren would come to functions too.

There was another part of Beryl’s life.  NADRASCA. Both Beryl and Keith have been involved since its inception in 1967. They were on Committees. At the first meeting they both nominated to be transport drivers or officers. In the beginning  it was just driving small buses, then as numbers grew, larger vehicles were needed, seat belts became mandatory and a heavy vehicle license was required. Beryl did not have this license and therefore was unable to carry on as a volunteer. Secretly off she went and passed this extra special  license unbeknown to Keith. One evening there was her new license on Keith’s dinner plate!  She drove these buses for 18 years. She also helped out with their  fêtes, the Christmas card fund raising project and was President of the Mother’s Club.   Yes, she was deservedly a life member at NADRASCA.

When restrictions allow, Keith will let us know the time and place of a memorial service .

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UPDATE    Saturday July 17th.
Because of the uncertainty with COVID causing  snap lockdowns,  the Kilner family have reluctantly decided against holding a memorial service.

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A LIFE WELL LIVED,   VALE BERYL FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT DONCASTER.

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