Aussie family watch UK funeral of care home resident on live webcam feed

Relatives from overseas were able to attend the funeral of care home resident, Hilton ‘Vic’ Lobert, without even stepping on a plane - by watching it on a live webcam feed.

Staff at Camelot House and Lodge worked with funeral directors Thomas Brothers so family from Australia and South America could still take part in the send off.

Hilton Lobert, known as Vic, died aged 89. He moved to Camelot House last year due to ill health. Richard Dempslake, activities co-ordinator at Camelot House and Lodge, liaised closely with members of Vic’s family, and they asked him to read a eulogy on their behalf at his funeral.

He said: “It was a privilege to make sure Vic had a good send-off, especially since his relatives are all so far away overseas.

“From the minute he came into our care, he was a joy to work with – a quiet but lovely man, very polite and gentle, with a warm smile and a perennial twinkle in his eye.

“Vic’s family were so grateful to see their loved one get the farewell he deserved, and they were touched to receive a recording of the service on DVD.”

Vic grew up in Guyana and spent his early working life in the diamond fields of Guyana. In 1959 he migrated to the UK to pursue his engineering studies. After marrying Dorothy, he became a Post Office engineer, eventually moving over to BT until he retired in 1987 as an assistant executive engineer.

At this point he decided to return to Guyana to visit his family, and so loved the country that he bought 10 acres of land where he proceeded to design and build his own home, Dorvic House. Here he kept a pond full of ducks, over a hundred sheep and two dogs.

He had many hobbies including snooker, home electronics, gardening and wine-making. When his health declined he returned to the UK.

Vic and Dorothy had two sons, Terence and Nicholas, who described him as “hard-working and self-disciplined”.

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