Page 62 - Eclipse - Autumn/Winter 2024

IN MEMORIAM

PEARL JANE KEEP

(née LEVENS ING)
(1954)
By Jonathan Keep

On Monday 15th January 2024
Pearl Jane Keep (née Levens Ing)
peacefully passed away at the age
of 95 in Whangarei, New Zealand.
Pearl Jane graduated from the RVC in
1954, often making the point that back
then only 10% of the class were women.
She became engaged to fellow RVC
student, Michael Keep, in their final year Heather Nestel
and after graduating they married and
moved to South Africa.
awarded throughout their years of
Pearl and Michael worked in small animal study; they married in their final year. On
practice in Johannesburg until 1967 qualifying, they took the banana boat to
when Michael was appointed the first HEATHER MAUDE Jamaica, together with Heather’s horse,
full time Vet to the Natal Parks Board. NESTEL (1954) which had helped to finance her college
By then having started a family with their years through competition prize money.
two young boys they moved to Hluhluwe By Lucy Trevan After a brief stint with the Jamaica Society
Game Reserve in Zululand. Pearl Jane for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals,
assisted in the wildlife veterinary work Heather Nestel’s life as a vet was Heather started her own practice by
that included the ‘Save The White Rhino’ extraordinary and remarkable. In an converting the stables at their house in
international relocation program. archive interview for the RCVS in later life, Brown’s Town.
she reflected on her initial application to
After seven years in the game reserve, the RVC, aged 13. At 14 years old, her Heather went on to discover polo, soon
and a third son, Pearl and Michael moved place on the waiting list was confirmed; bringing on her own ponies, becoming
to the Natal Midlands in South Africa however, she had to wait for a place as one of the first women to play in the
until 1992, from where they returned the college only took three women a year Caribbean and training ponies for riders
to the UK, retiring to Nomansland in at that time. in the USA and Europe. Throughout her
the heart of Devon. Michael passed life, when vetting a horse, she always
away in 2002, only a year after they had She left both school and home at preferred to ride the horse in question.
moved to New Zealand. Pearl is dearly 14 years old and took employment
remembered by her three sons, their with board and lodging as a groom in Jamaican independence saw their next
wives and partner, her six grandchildren Smallfield, Surrey. This early employment move to Colombia, South America. From
and two great grandchildren. cemented Heather’s fundamental there they went to Rome, Italy (for Barry’s
knowledge of all things equine. She work), and on to Ontario, Canada, in
received the call to attend the RVC just 1969, where Heather completed the
before her 19th birthday and had just veterinary exams that allowed her to
three days to confirm. practise. She also took a place lecturing
at Guelph vet school and studied for a
In 1949, Heather joined the RVC at master’s degree in fish pathology.
Streatley, Berkshire, as the College had
relocated there from Camden Town By now, the couple had four young
during World War II and remained there children, who were brought up alongside
during the postwar period. Her approach their parents’ busy professional lives. In
was always practical, linking academic 1973, they moved to Bogotá, Colombia,
with functional knowledge. where she was unable to practise, so
Heather became closely involved with an
At college, Heather met fellow student orphanage run by the Foundation for the
Michael and Pearl Jane Keep – circa 1970 Barry, and they competed for prizes Assistance of Abandoned Children. She

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