Barry (Badger) Duplock
(6/12/1968-18/6/2023)
Barry was born 6 December 1968 to Gladys and Bill Duplock in South Africa. When he was 3, they moved to Rhodesia (later known as Zimbabwe).
He moved to England in 2007 for new beginnings and had several jobs in the UK before starting with Thames Water where he worked for 10 years until his untimely death.
Barry loved a committee and his social calendar was always crammed. He was involved with so many groups – organising BBQs and camping weekends for fellow South Africans, Roundtable, scuba diving, visiting friends and relations. Having joined the KSA in 2015 he became a trustee in 2018 and Chair of trustees in June 2021.
Unlike many affected by KS/XXY, Barry was a very sociable person. He loved people and made those around him feel special because he really cared for them.
He was the nicest of men. Like many KS/XXYs he was very caring. He was always the first to phone when someone was going through a rough time and you always felt better after chatting with him.
He met the love of his live and true soulmate in 2017 (Karen) and had the happiest six years of his life (that is what he told other people) and they were looking forward to many, many more before fate took him so cruelly away from us.
I’m sure many members will relate to this memory from trustee, A J Howard:
“My first ever KSA conference was in Derby (2017) two months after my diagnosis. It was quite a daunting feeling. I checked into the hotel, took my bag to the room and lay there for 1/2 hour or so. I was scared, worried, before plucking up the courage to venture downstairs to the KSA meet-up. I was going to the Friday night get-together, alone, not knowing a anyone, you see.
I went straight to the bar, met two chaps propping it up, one was Barry Duplock. These were the first ever KSA members that I’d ever met.
They were great, two well established KSA friends and they introduced me around, making me feel very welcome. Barry said he’s called Badger to his friends. He was funny and we were the same age too. By Saturday, the start of the conference, I was far more relaxed thanks to them.
It was a shock to hear that Badger passed away on Sunday 18 June 2023. A month before we were at the KSA conference and he was his typical smiley, chatty self. The day before his passing we had a three hour online virtual KSA meeting too. I still can’t believe he’s gone…”
The day before he died, Barry joined the KSA trustees at a virtual meeting. He was his usual chatty, happy, caring self.
He will be sorely missed by so many people.
Our thoughts are with Karen and all his family.
He liked his many friends to call him ‘Badger’ as a testament to his determination to get things done.
RIP Badger.
