Eugene di Villa – a friend to Underwood by Ztan Zmith

Description

Eugene was born in London in 1931 – but under a different name. In 1959 he legally changed this by Deed Poll and from then onwards became Eugene Di Villa. Through his grandmother he claimed connections with a European titled family and shared sketchy details of his life with his many friends. Eugene died in December 2010 and was buried in St Michael’s Churchyard, Underwood, having expressed a fondness for the Village during his life time. His grave was grassed over and marked by a wooden cross bearing just a handwritten inscription. A group of friends, distressed by the sadness of this, got together to try and raise funds for a proper memorial stone to mark the life of a local man who gave so much to the Village and the surrounding area. This book was successful in raising sufficient funds for a polished black marble headstone for Eugene. Sales proceeds for the book are now donated to St Michael’s Church within whose graveyard Eugene lies. 18pp