Oranjemund Online

I plan to add a new page to the Main Site in the next 14 days, called "Lost Diamonds". This is going to be a page of deceased Oranjemunder's , who no matter where they lived and died in the world, or how long ago, will be listed, so that current (ex) Oranjemunder's can know their status. (Closure)

So please send me any person's name you are aware off and the year they passed on to higher mansions.

thanks
MIke

You can either post the names in here or email me at michael@oranjemundonline.com

:'(

Hi Mike

My dad - Jim Lawson.  Died 30th April 1978

Kind regards

tracey

Hi Mike,
My dad Fred Boehme passed away 30 March 2007

Craig Edmonson's dad, Don Edmondson passed away ?

Andy Morrow passed away ?

Thanks Alfie I also need the years!

???

Hi Michael,

My parents Graham and Ria Opperman passed away in the 80s.

Ria Opperman - 22/02/1986 at +/-1230.

Graham Opperman - 22/02/1987 at +/- 1330.

Once again brilliant site.

Go well.
Richard

Hi Mike,  my dad, Abby Barron died in February 1972, having been in Oranjemund since 1950.
Regards, Val

Mike  for  posting ..

  Jock  Buchanan   -- 1977
  Eleanore  Buchanan --  2001

Mike some more.....

Allan Delaney 1999
Neil Delaney 2001

My parents who were in Oranjemund from 1968 to 1979

Doreen Margetts 2000
Percy Margetts 2001

mikey, brian reid passed away 2005

GUYS SAD SAD day.......

I heard Andrew Johns who was at junior school with me in 89 passed away  while mountain climbing past week, great guy awesome sailor and will sadly be missed.

He moved to PE to windsurf and then later back to CT where he had a great little business from what i hear and awesome sailing friends. he spent hours at the pink pan practising to get to where he is today go to www.capesessions.com as there are poics of him windsurfing....I wish him and his family all the strenght in this time.
Brandon

Brandon, Michele posted a link under the bush telegraph, about Andrew.......   :-\

My Dad bless him

Ernie Biccard - 1995 ( Worked at the valcanizer shop with Frans Schneider )

Hi  Mike  ..  thought  I  had  put  it in ..  add  lost  diamond ..

Ian Buchanan   18 Feb 2007

 ;)

Hi Deb

check out "lost diamond" page, Daddy's there.

X
why so quiet????

Yvette

mike - please add to Lost Diamonds my dad Ginger Olivier October 1977.  My aunt Val Gavin (left o'mund 1982) - died November 2004.

Thanx, Delia

It;s done!

::)

Hi Micheal
When Nicholas and I left O'mund in 1990 we heard that Marianne Loubser passed away ?? Not sure of the date though. She was such a lovely friend in my early years in O'mund/

Gabi, I was in a term of self imposed exile and was not in Oranjemund for that time perios, however Adriaan Van Rooyen wanted to know how old was she (roughly), did she die here? He will go home and ask his wife tonite, also a Mariaan..... I presume she was Afrikaans?

???

Ken Wilson, wife of Tanse....died in a plane crash in Indonesia in December 1997.  I was the last oranjemunder to see him, as i was staying with them in Jakarta, I flew back to Bali on the friday, and he flew to NZ on the Saturday. (i think.. or thursday and friday)...anyway the plan crashed over Sumatra. 

Tanse now lives in New Zealand.

It's done ! 

I think the Marianne that Gabi is referring to was step sister to Andre Du Toit, who is married to Ann Jones. As far as I can remember, Marianne was married to Kobus Loubser. 

Michael,
some names to add to the Lost Diamonds:-
Martha Fry - 1979
Jock Macpherson - 1988
Brian Fry - 1993
Bill Fry - 2002
Barbara Macpherson - 2006

I have put my head together some of the family and believe the years to be correct.

Thanks, B

All Done!   :-\

Please add Pam Greenshields.  She and my dad lived together for a few years and she sadly lost the battle against lung cancer in November 2004

hi susan,i was very sorry to hear about aunty pam greenshields,her late husband bob and my parents were good friends in om

Michael please add to Lost Diamonds: Glynis Kruger (nee Young) 1994; Gladys Young 2001 and Bevan Grigg 2003.      Thankyou

Hi Mike

My father Raymond McCarthy passed away in 1995 and my mother Wilma McCarthy passed away in 2000.

Cheers

Patrick McCarthy

Oh my gosh.... terrible to hear about Bevan!!! 
Marianne Loubser was Andre's step sister and was married to Greg Vice... she passed away in the late 90's.  Gill Ortlepp will remember more about the time etc.  It was tragic.

glynis kruger ,nee young,extemeley good friends of our family in om,i was shattered to hear of her untimely demise,i have emailed dyanne,her sister,what a great family in my memory,ronny ,my age,big lad jonny,and the girls,glynis and dyan were such kind people,cant forget all the cuddles i got from both of them,god bless glyn.to ppj krugers son,i extend my heartfell thoughts to you bud,hope all is going well mate,take good care ,love bobby

All done!

Micheal maybe I"m not so bright but you say "all done". I don't see my post regarding Glynis, Bevan and Gladys on you LOST DIAMONDS section :'(

Diana, it is on, you must press your browser's refresh button, otherwise you will be viewing an old page that is stored in your browsers cache.....

quite a few people don't see the proper webpage updates, becuse they forget to refresh the page...

mike

;)

Thanx MIcheal. I"m new at this computer thing, like I said not so bright ::)

Me again. Please amend Kruger (nee Young)  should read Glynis Kruger (nee Young) Thanx

Sorry , that was my mistake.....  ;)

Hi again

My father, Syd Worth, died in 1995. Please add to the lost diamonds.

Thanks
Penny

Hi Michael

Could you please add my mother  Mary Brownless passed away on 17 February 2001

thanks Barbara

I'll have to catch up on lost diamonds at work 2morrow, as all the site stuff is on my laptop at work....

:)

 All done!

Hi Michael

I know of Astrid Machts, she died in an accident about ten years ago. ( Daughter of Günther and Helga and Sister of Ingo).

Iggi van Gruenen died while i stayed in Oranjemund, must have been about 1978, it was the only funeral i ever attended in O-mund.

Gudrun Corvenus of Geology was murdered and deacapitaded in Asia last year.

She was highly honered for her research work.

Hope that helps your Database

Now i go back and search through the forum

Georg, thanks for those names, can you confirm the years?

Astrid Machts 1997
Iggi Van Gruenen 1978
Gudrun Corvenus 2006

thanks
Mike
???

Erika Stieglitz

Moved to Oranjemund in 1937/1938

Was married later and stayed in Windhuk in the Gartenstrasse

1. Marriage Kartage , 2. van der Stel

I searched for her, since her half Brother from Danmark could not find her. I found her in Usakos in 2006

She passed away shortly after my visit

I spoke to Günther Machts ( Town Electric), he rembemered that name from Kolmanns, i doubt any Oranjemunders can remember her, she was only 6 and visited the O-mund School at that time

Georg Ruf now Stuttgart Germany

In addition to Dr Gudruns Corvinus murder klick link for info and those that speak German

http://www.nepal-dia.de/Aktuelle_Lage_/_In_memoriam_Dr__Gudrun_Corvin/_in_memoriam_dr__gudrun_corvin.html

Georg Ruf Stuttgart Germany

A picture of Erika in Oranjemund in the 1930 th

(http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z249/georgswa/erika-omund.jpg)


Georg Ruf

Georg, what year did the Kolmanskuppe people move to Oranjemund, and were there a lot of Germans in Omund in those early years?
???

Quote from: Michael Alexander on October 05, 2007, 05:24:20 AM
Georg, what year did the Kolmanskuppe people move to Oranjemund, and were there a lot of Germans in Omund in those early years?
???

Sorry Michael i dont know, but Günter Machts and the Reschkes could answer that.

Both lived in Kolmanns, pity that those people can not tell us of the Kolmanns times. I hope Ingo Machts will come on board and tell us.

Or Peter Reschke, but he is travelling at the moment.

Georg Ruf

Hello Georg - Auntie Anita Reschke will probably be coming to stay with my folks over December/January so I am sure she will have a lot of interesting stories to tell - I think we will have to get my Mom to do the posting for her though as Mike's typing is terrible!

Quote from: Michele Alexander (Voden) on October 05, 2007, 07:24:16 AM
Hello Georg - Auntie Anita Reschke will probably be coming to stay with my folks over December

Yes, ask ask ask, write it down, so i assume Nicky is no more ??? That is all historical what they know and interesting.

Give Anita my regards, i hope she remebers me

Georg Ruf

Georg - I just phoned my Mom as I couldn't remember the year, Uncle Mickey passed away in November 2001. My mom speaks to Auntie Anita very often and I have given her your name to pass on your regards. She is still in good health and comes to Oranjemund every couple of years to stay with my parents.

When they left Oranjemund they moved to Table View but couldn't seem to settle there so they later moved to George where they were very happy. I will have to go through my parents photo albums to get a picture of them.

Hi Michele

Yes i knew they are in George. Peter told me and wanted me to visit them, but time is always to short when you travel.

I used to visit them in Mc Dugals Bay where they had a cottage. Lekker Crayfish

Georg Ruf

This is a picture of Auntie Anita with our two girls taken in January 2005.

We also often used to spend a lot of week-ends at their house in McDougalls Bay, when they left O'mund they left a set of keys with my parents so we were still able to make use of the house. Unfortunately there were a couple of break-ins and it was too far for them to travel each time from Cape Town so they decided to sell the house. We will have to take a drive there one day so we can take a picture of how the house looks now.

Thanks for the pic

She still looks good and you have pretty girls

Georg Ruf

Pleasure Georg - will still look for a picture of Uncle Mickey.

Thanks - luckily the girls inherited their granny's (my mom) good looks!

Hi Michelle

I looked under lost Diomonds, Mickey is not in there , you should add him

I dont understand the reltionships between you and the Rechskes, but you will surely explain

Georg Ruf

Hi again Georg, my dad Mike Voden, worked with Uncle Mickey at Township when we first arrived in the early 1980's, my mom, Jenny Voden, got to know Auntie Anita when they worked together at Personnel. The friendship developed from this and grew over the years for us to look upon them as part of the family. My folks kept in contact with the Reschke's over the years and I can remember staying at their house in Table View when my brother went to boarding school in 1987 before they moved to George. After this we travelled to George to stay with them on a number of occassions as well and since Uncle Mickey passed away Auntie Anita has been back to O'mund to stay with my folks. 

My folks made the trip to George in November 2001 for Uncle Mickey's funeral as well.

Georg, I could add a hundred names to the list, but I prefer if a living relative or good friend requests the name to be placed... I know it sounds silly, but I feel right about it...

Cheers
Mike   :)

I understand your point of view

So Peter should do that when he has time...........

Georg

Or aunty Anita when she comes here in december/jan.... I actually cannot wait to talk to her ( must just hide the jagermeister  ;) ) last time, there were interesting stories about Kolmanskuppe...

:)

I found an english report on Dr Corvinus ´s murder in Wikepedia

Returning from Nepal to settle down in Pune, India, where she had many old friends and owned estate, in January 2006 Dr Corvinus was found stabbed and beheaded in her apartment. The murderer, an estate agent named Iqbal Mohammad Sheikh who had helped her sell one of her flats, was identified and arrested by local police the very next day. He had visited Corvinus on the 1st of January and tried to force her to sign blank papers to gain legal power over her estate and bank accounts. When she refused he stabbed her, then cut off her head and took it with him in a plastic bag. It was later found in Kharadi some 10-12 km away under a bridge.

Friends, colleagues and relatives in Pune as well as Germany and Nepal and other countries, were shocked about this horrific murder. She had just completed her last work about Nepal, and had plans to continue researching with the local Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in Pune.

Hi Michael,

I trust you are back in the land of the "Long Brown Dune" and very very happy that your team of Orange won - close game - but up the VRYSTAAT!!!

I have noticed on the "Lost Diamond" site that the death of Johnny Siebers Snr has not been mentioned.
As you know Johnny Siebers Snr was Rainer and Johnny Jnr father.

Johnny Siebers Snr passed away 1998.

Would you please include in Lost Diamonds.

Kind regards
Richard

Hi Richard, Yep the Currie Cup was awesome..... We arrived back last night, I have a bit of work to catch up on first, ands then will be doing things on the site.....

Cheers
Mike
;D

Both my parents have passed away - Boetie Groenewald (1985) & Marie Groenewald  (1997)

Ronelle, Sorry, must I add them to the list?

goodmorning   Hi Mike.  I would appreciate that.   thnx

Hi there all of you.  I have been offline for more that a week now due to the fact that my mother, Joey Coetzee (the wife of the late Big Dirk Coetzee) has fallen very ill.

Herewith to inform you that she has passed away this morning at 09h30.

I will post the info about her funeral etc. later in the week.

Mike, could you please add her name to the Lost Diamonds list  -  thank you.

Greetings

Dalene Steenkamp

Pleas accept my condolences

I think of you while you go thrugh sad times

Georg

So,so sorry to hear about your mom,we missed you and will be thimking of you at this time.
bighug

Dalene,

condolences to all your family,
Wishing you strength during this time
you are in my Prayers

Barbara

Sorry to hear the news Dalene, I will update on Monday, laptop at work, sterkte Vrou!

We feel for you, Sorry!

Thanks to you all. 

I will also try to post a few stuff inbetween, but my laptop is also at work - using the comp and pennies of the hubbie for now.

Hi Dalene,

so sorry to read of your Mom's passing.
You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Baie sterkte vir jou en gesin.

H Dalene

So sorry to hear of your Moms passing
You are in my thoughts

Sterkte

Hi Dalene

We are so sorry to hear about your mom's passing and know how difficult and sad it is to loose one's mom having just gone through the same with our mom.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family in this very sad time, stay strong and remember all the happy times you and your family had with your mom.

giverose

lovies
Paula, Jackie and Julie
XX

Yes, it's very sad, but also very mercifull for her, because she suffered so badly.  Her body got swollen to a point where the skin on all her limbs startet to burst open.  I was with her the whole time, and at times I was so frustrated to know that nothing could be done anymore.  It sounds harsh, but if was a relief when she finally "went".

But like you, I also had my laughs during this past week.  She was so confused and at times said the funniest things.  At one time she fought with me about the beer she apparrently just had infront of her (that was when she was flat on her back in hospital and could'nt see so good anymore) and wanted to know who had taken it away.  The other time she mistook me for a cat jumping through the window when I opened the curtains drawn around her bed  -  said "Spring die fokken kat nou hier deur die venster".  She asked the specialist if he was a musician when he examened her chest again.  She called the nurses "louses" that were crawling up her skin.  At one time she threw the sippi-cup I had to use for her away, 'cause she said that deformed things were growing in the cup.  Ag shame, I felt so sorry for her, but couldn't help laughing at the funny things.  You know, I think the Lord made her so confused to keep her mind away from the amount of pain she suffered.   Just before she passed, she asked me for her shoes, 'cause she said she had to walk now.  She constantly heard small children and she was so worried about them and had to go and see if they were okay, so apparrently that was where she had to walk to.

Her funeral will be on Friday next week and she will be buried next to my dad.  Bless them both  -  Big Dirk and Joey - finally together again.!  Boy, and did she miss him!!!!!

Hi Dalene.
Sorry about your mom.
My thoughts are with you.
Wish you strength in this hard time.
Georg jr.

Hi Daleen

Our sincere sympathies at your great loss.  Please just help me out here... was your mom a sister at the hospital in Oranjemund?

regards

Hi Bev,

No, you are thinking about Linda Coetzee, the wife of Rooi Andries Coetzee, but her and my mom were very good friends and had been so since they were schoolgirls and remained good friends till the end.  My mom used to work in the "goods receiving"? department of the shopping centre.  My dad was Big Dirk, the huge policeman in O'mund from 1973 to 1986.

I will try to post a picture of her at some later stage.

Thank you again to everyone for the messages  -  I appreciate every single one. 

Dalene

My deepest sympathy to you and your family. I remember Joey well with great fondness, though I was just a kid at the time   

Hi again

Ok .. gosh I can't handle all these "senior Moments" I have!  I don't remember your mom but I have very fond memories of Linda, Mickey Benade and Francis Havenga from the time I worked at the hospital as Receptionist.

Quote from: Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee) on December 02, 2007, 10:06:10 AM
Hi Bev,

No, you are thinking about Linda Coetzee, the wife of Rooi Andries Coetzee, but her and my mom were very good friends and had been so since they were schoolgirls and remained good friends till the end.  My mom used to work in the "goods receiving"? department of the shopping centre.  My dad was Big Dirk, the huge policeman in O'mund from 1973 to 1986.

I will try to post a picture of her at some later stage.

Thank you again to everyone for the messages  -  I appreciate every single one. 

Hi Dalene.
I'm sure I now your mom. She must have worked with my mom for some time. I used to visit the "girls" behind the "scenes" now and then.
Georg

Hi Delene

We had the same thing with my mom with her getting confused and saying the funniest thing, we also had to laugh, it was either laughing or having to cry and we stuck with the humour side of thing to help us cope.  When we read what you wrote your mom said it made us laugh because we know what it's like.  My mom forgot what Julie's name was and when she was asked she would think about it for a while then she said "a bladdy idiot" hahaha, shame bless her.
My mom also saw her grand kids as still being little one's, she saw them running past her room and crawling under her bed and would tell us to go check on what they are getting up to.

Jackie and I will be flying back to SA tomorrow afternoon, once I get back to work I will try grab sometime to pop on line and torment Georg and Mike.

You and your family will be in our thoughts and prays next friday when you lay your mom to rest, be strong and remember the happy times.

Lovies
Paula, Jackie and Julie

Go ahead Paula. I'm ready and waiting on you. I'm surprised your not around . I suppose your so exhausted from the last battle... hihihi
:emot111:

Dalene ,  just picked  up   on the  news  today ... my  sympathies ,, and  wishes  for  strength  on  the road  ahead ....   Below a  little  something   that I find  beautiful describing  the  central  role  of  a  mother  in  our lives ...

[/color]

another time Georg, I'll take a rain check on the battle, got to pack. :)

See ya when in the sunny south side of the world...

Jeez Sandy that was a beautiful verse,got me all tearful and mushy.

Hi Dianna ...  Mushy  yes  .. truth  yes    .. and  for  Dalene >> To  remember  the  last  line  being
" and nothing  on  earth  can seperate  you "  Our  comfort  is  that  they live on  in  our  hearts  and souls  and  we  in  theirs  .. indelible  ..  been  there  had  tough  time  dealing  with  mothers  loss till   with  time  I  came  to  the realisation  in  that last  line ...

 bighug

To all of you.  Thank you for the support.  Sandy, that is so beautifull....  I will keep it for always.

Just to inform you:  My mom's funeral will be on Friday 7 Dec. at 12H00.  All your love and thoughts will be with me then. 

(I have been busy with all the arangements etc.  ----  and will be off line again for a few days, but next week I will plague you with my posts and comments again. )

Hi Daleen

Baie jammer om te hoor van jou ma.  Ons gebede gaan met julle en julle famielie.  My enigste troos aan julle is onthou altyd die goeie ou tye saam en al die laggies en geselsies, veral as jy down raak.  Dit sit altyd 'n glimlag in jou gemoed.
Ronelle en Francois

HI Daleen

Baie jammer om van jou ma te hoor. 
Ek dink aan jou in die moeilike tyd en bid vir jou.
Sterkte.

Groete
Sheena

Hi Dalene - sorry to hear about your mom, my thoughts are with you over this sad time. 

dalene and family,my thoughts and sympathies are with you,stay strong and take good care,bobby smith

Hi Dalene

Just to let you know that we are thinking about you!

There are so many things one can say but I think I will settle for a

bighug for you and the rest of your family.

Hi Dalene,

I realise this is a rather belated message, but our thoughts are non the less with you during this sad time for your family. May you find comfort in the many fond memories of happier times.

Nick and Gabi.

Hi Mike,

I am very sad to inform you that Rika Rokitta passed away in the early morning hours of Monday 10 December.

Cheleen

Many thanks again to all of you for the support - it does carry one in sad times to know there are friends out there who care and who really give from the heart.

Sorry to read about Rita as well.  My deepest sympathy to the family  -  it is so very sad, but one finds peace in the knowledge that God plans all of this and that it is only the body on this earth that expires.  We cry, but we can also laugh and celebrate the fact that we had the privilage to share the life of our loved one.

I pray for the family of Rita for strength and I know that all of the shared emotions of all the friends will also help them through this time as it helped me.

Hi Cheleen, it was very sudden and sad news to hear of her passing, I will add her name to lost diamonds only once a family member asks me to.

Thanks for keeping us informed of all  our friends departures. Also sympathy to other that has had losses recently that we do not know, but feel that they were "one of us" Oranjemunders once.

I would also like  to add to the Diamonds, a few names of my family. All deaths quite sudden. Dad died in Oranjemund hospital 1971 of a heart attack at age 55 years. Mum died in Bothasig after a day at work of a heart attack at age 59.
David, my brother died in 1985 at age 37 from a heart attack, complications from diabetes. He was blind at the time, caused by diabetes.

Francis (Piet) Petersen  died - 24 June 1971
Alida (Lida) Petersen     died - 18 August 1983
David Petersen             died - 25 January 1985

Could you please enter them under Lost Diamonds for me? Still miss them heaps.
Thanks,
Julie.

.... All done!

Thanks Mike! Much appreciated thnx

Dalene

Ek is nou eers terug van verlof af en het glad nie tydens verlof op die site ingegaan nie.  Innige simpatie met die heengaan van jou ma. Snaaks, ek en my suster wat in Koffiefontein bly, het toevallig op 01 Desember 207 van jou ouers gepraat en my sus vra toe vir my of hulle nog lewe.  Ek het nie geweet jou pa is alreeds oorlede nie.  Sterkte vir jou en jou gesin tydens die tydperk.

Charmain

Baie dankie, Charmaine.

Ons trek nou so die laaste drade van die "wereldsgoed" bymekaar  -  ek trek maar die hardste diekant, want my broer Leon is in Namibie en die "baby" Wilma en haar man is in Mali, maar die hoofsaak is dis vir my Ma.  Het anderdag gou haar goed gaan uitsorteer:  is so hartseer as mens al die jare se onthou en leef in kartonne pak, maar die aanvaarding is daar dat dit deel is van die aarde (verganklik).

Die lekkerste is dat ek vir haar so klomp goed kon "copy" en wys en deel met haar het so maand voor haar dood.  Daarvoor moet ek Mike en Kenny en Georgswa uit die diepte van my hart bedank - en al die ander lede van die forum - dat niemand beswaar gemaak het teen die feit dat ek die goed wou "copy" na 'n cd en haar laat kyk het daarna nie!

Ongelooflik die soort bande wat ek opgebou het ook in hierdie laaste 3 weke - selfs deur individue van hierdie forum en hulle sal weet wie hulle is - en die tipe van ondersteuning wat ek ervaar het!  Wow  -  en ons dink soms ons is alleen!!!!!       

Aubrey Gordon Love passed over in 1997

Sorry, Missed this one, but added now!

LOST  DIAMONDS -- BILL  FRY  A  GOOD  MEMORY..

I  was  browsing  through  the  lost  diamonds  saw  Bill  Fry , indeed  a  larger  than  life person  in many ways ..  where one  could  open   another    section  on  him ..  brought  back  a  very  good  memory  ..   My  Mom  phoned  me  , was  not  feeling  too  well  so asked me  if  I  could  attend  as  a  representative  of  our family  .. the  service  at St Cyprians  ..  a  beautiful  setting  , intimate  chapel  and  what  struck  me  most  was  a  very  personal  touch ..  the   entire  coffin  was  a  work  of  art   in the form  of  leaves  and  flowers   painted  lovingly  and painstakingly  by  one  of  the  daughters   as  a tribute  to  him .. too  beautiful  ...  never  forget that  ..

Sandy, do you remember the girl pall bearers.

Yup..  now  taht you  remind  me ..  was  very  moved  at  the  service   because  of  the personal  touches .. ..  I  always  like  the  personal  touch ...  For  my  Mom  I  did  a  huge  photo  collage   of her  life ..  far  better than  words ,, tough work  cos  as one  goes through  the pics  they  pull up memories ...  same  went  for  Johns  service ...  went to   a  sevice  for  a  colleague  at work  the  other  day .. standard  funeral  parlour offering   and  a  priest  who  did  not  know  him from a  bar of  soap   . really  becomes   like  a  despatch  dept ..

My friends father passed away a year ago, never went to church so decided beforehand that he didn't want a service, wanted to be cremated and his ashes scattered on the golf course, then all to have a drink at the last hole. Very fitting, I feel, much better than a priest who doesn't know you trying to speak about you and console the family.

Hearing a rumour on the floor today, that Thuys Taljaard passes away yesterday (Heart attack)... anyone know anything?

I don't think it's just a rumour a few guys on the mine where talking about Thuys today. My condolences to his family (unfortunatly he had only a very short retirement)  I remember Thuys from the panel shop Uubvley what a helpfull guy)
everybody was shocked.
Alfred

My fathers sentiments also, a great pleasant man, very appreciative.....

Hi Mike,
Just to let you know - my mother's sister who also grew up in Oranjemund - Beth Bruce (nee Laughlin) passed away on Monday evening 7 April.

My  condoleces  Sheena ..   phew  time  flies  .   just  thinking  back  ..  last  time  I  saw  Beth  was  in  Bloemfontein  in  the  70's .. I think   it  was  Mary  that  stayed  there  as  well .. 

Daleen , wil jy nie vir ons 'n foto van jou pa Dirk , en Ma Joey op die blad plaas nie. dit sal wonderlik wees
Simpatie met ma se dood

Good idea. I'm sure many will remember them. But then, I remember having seen several pics of big Dirk... I think that was the artical on his arrival back from hospital. Dalene?

Sheena, I'll add today....

@Dalene, I can link a page on the lost DIamonds, if you have something... your dad was one of those characters I mentioned...

Always sad to have another lost diamond.My condolences Sheena. I remember Beth well,she was a bit older than me and hang out with Brydon Maddison and Lindsay Mc Callough(that crowd). We were little teeny boppers then and would look up to them, always aspiring to blow smoke rings while sitting in Cora's cafe. Hell we thought they were cool.I'm sure she was a Diamond Princess a few times.

Hi Diana,
Yes, Beth was a Diamond princess a couple of times.  I have still got a photo of her at the ball.  Man, the fashions in those days!!!

Thanks Sandy,
Beth and Mary lived in Bloemfontein in the 70's.  Beth eventually moved to Jhb and then Durban and has been there since late 80's.
Mary passed away in 1997.  My mother is the only Laughlin left now. 

@ Sheena  -  sterkte vir julle in hierdie tyd.  Dra asb ook my boodskap oor aan jou ma.

@ Hennie -  baie dankie vir jou boodskap, ek waardeer.  Ek sal my scanner aan die gang moet kry en die foto's in scan om op die forum te sit.

@ George jnr  -  yes, the last photo that Mike posted was taken shortly after my dad went back to work after he had his 1st heart operation in 1975. 

@ Mike  -  I know.  Will have to sit down and write a tribute to him, adding some comments from people on the forum, including their memories of him, but also our own.  I have written a poem for him that was read in church at his funeral service (sorry, it's in Afrikaans), that I shall also include.

@ All those who knew my dad, Big Dirk Coetzee, please send me a pm that contain your memories of him, or a specific incident he was involved in that you know about etc etc etc  -  this can either be positive or negative -  no person on this earth is a saint, so there can be the person out there who also have bad memories about him  -  I'm a big girl and will not see such opinion as a personal attack or a de-grading of my dad's person or profile.

sheena i have just read the very sad news of beths passing.i have just spoken to my sister in london,kay smith,she has asked me to send you and the family her heartfelt condolences,beth was a frequent visitor to our house in om whilst i was growing up.beth and my sister were best friends,aunty jean and uncle sandy were very good friends with my parents,our sympathies are with you all,god give you streghth,from the smith family

Dear Sheena,

Our deepest condolances to you, your mother and family in the passing of Beth.

Beth attended the same high school Huguenot High in Wellington SA, was a few std ahead of me.

My sister Liz was a friend of Beth in those days and just resantly made contact with her again, was very shocked to hear of the passing of Beth, as she and Carol Dyason were planning to get together with her this year - very sad.

Richard + Debby Opperman

Thanks to all of you.  I will pass on your messages.  We appreciate them.
I found some photo's of Beth and Carol with little polka dot mini dressed on.
Seems like they were quite a handfull in those days.  Beth was always happy and
fibrant.  Man, and shopping with her was painfull. 

daleen
My vrou het jare gelede in die Magistraats kantoor gewerk . Dit was die gebruik dat as Oom Dirk en konstabel Piet op patrollie gaan ,   dan kom hulle eers daar aan en vra koffie voor hulle die pad vat . [ Groot Dirk het homself die stasie bevoel verder genoem ]
Omdat Piet nou nie juis altyd geskik was nie , het my vrou  hom belowe dat sy hom gaan terug te kry vir sy ongeskiktheid met haar .
Sy het 'n paar van haar oorlede pa se water afdrywings pille [ Lasics ] gehad . en toe Dirk en Piet daar opdaag en koffie vra , maak sy vir Piet in sy eie beker koffie –[ Piet se beker was amper so groot as 'n stroop blik  ] en vir ook vir Dirk sy Tee  , . Toe sy die koffie vir Piet aangee glip sy twee pilletjies in Piet se koffie . Maar Dirk het 'n oog , baie beter as wat 'n valk het , hy kry haar eenkant en vra " Sussie ,wat het jy in Piet se beker Koffie gegooi ?"
Sy ontken en stry vir 'n vale , maar Dirk die speurder weet . Later beken sy dat sy pilletjies wat mens se water afdryf in sy koffie gegooi het .
Met hierdie kennis in Dirk se kop  , vertrek hulle woestyn in .
Toe hulle terug kom was Piet gedaan ! Hy bekla sy nood.  Hy verstaan nie wat aangaan nie . " As ek vir meneer vra om te stop , want sy blaas wil bars , dan jaag meneer spesiaal oor die sand hopies aan die windaf kant van die bossies , en hy wil wragtag nie stop nie , Sy verskoning is dat ons in dik sand is en sal vas sit , en dan sal daar van ons net son gedroogte geraamtes oorbly, vir die ander mense om te kry ! Meneer sê toe ek moet op die bakkie se trap staan , en aan die deur hang en laat loop . Dan draai meneer reg in die Suid Weste wind in , en ek kan nie knyp nie – en die dem wind waai alles weer terug bo-oor my . En glo jy ... hy lag wragtag vir my ! en ek voel so stupid , en skaars het ek klaar laat waai , dan is ek weer vol , my blaas voel of hy gaan bars ..dan staan ek op die trap en laat waai ... dis seker maar daardie klomp koffie wat ek gedrink het .. en dan benat ek myself maar weer van voor af  .. want daar is geen manier wat enige mens daardie vol blase kan knyp en inhou nie !
En daar sit oom Dirk met die sedigste gesig , hy smile nie , hy sê net mooi niks .. en my vrou weet nie hoe om die giggels te onderdruk nie .
Ek glo nie Piet het ooit uigevind wat op daardie rampspoedig dag met hom en sy blaas verkeerd was nie

Dankie vir die een, Hennie.  Dis een van die stories wat ek nie van geweet het nie.  Ja, daar's min dinge wat my pa se oog ontglip het.  Ek onthou die Landroskantoor ook goed - baie daar gekom saam met my pa.  Hy het in daardie tyd ook opgetree as Staatsaanklaer.  Ek kan net nie al die landroste onthou wat in daardie tyd daar was nie.  Ek weet die een ou se naam was Riaan en dan was daar een met die van De Kock (spierwit hare gehad).  Soms het oom Lourens de Kock saam met Hennie Barnard (die prokureur van Windhoek) ook daar hofsittings gehad.  En daai duine ry sessies -ek weet hoe my pa 'n duin kon aanvat, so die arme Piet se lot was beklink.  Is dit dalk Piet Berg van wie jy praat?  Hy kon soms nogal redelik bombasties wees, maar een ding wat ek hom die lof van kan toesing, is dat hy 'n uitstekende spiesgooi afrigter vir my was.

I am very sorry and sad to hear about Beth's passing away. Beth and I were in school together and she was a great and energetic person. My condolinsances to the family from Pepe and family.

Thanks Pepe.  I will tell her husband and children.

How time just flies.  Yesterday it has been exactly 1 year since my mom has passed away  -  somehow it feels like only yesterday that I had posted the notification.   

Just a small note in memory of her  -  Joey Coetzee.

Hi Mike
On the subject of Kolmanskop (Kolmannskoppe) and Aunt Anita Reschke did you manage to speak to her about Kolmanskop. This would be such an interesting topic and I imagine she would probably be one of the very last survivors of the days of Kolmanskop. I have an idea the Kolmanskoppers probably moved down to OMD in the 30's when Aunt Anita must have been a young girl. The Germans started mining in Kolmanskop in 1908. Perhaps she may be prepared to write up a short biography of her early life in Kolmanskop and how she met Uncle Micky. This information about Kolmanskop would all the more valuable coming from someone who actually lived there. I see the Machts family also came from Kolmanskop.
I have attached a google earth pic of Kolmanskop. I wonder if Aunt Anita could remember which house she lived in. There are only about half a dozen houses still standing now. Aunt Anita was the 1st person who dealt with my induction into OMD as an appie. In fact she signed my apprenticeship contract. See attachment.

forgot the other two attachments.

Who ever gets in contact with Günter Machts ( i have the phone no)
Talk to him about Kolmanns, he lived there.......

George where is Gunther located and how is his English. My German is long forgotten.

Quote from: Leon Sumter on December 20, 2008, 07:21:09 AM
George where is Gunther located and how is his English. My German is long forgotten.

He lives in Kleinmond, speaks all 3 languages in one sentence LOL

Thanks Georg, that's not too far from Cape Town.

Richard Dunckley 2005 (I think)

Hi Gregg, I will add Richards name in the week....

Hi Michael, I've checked my facts with his daughter (my wife) and these are the details:

Richard Dunckley passed on in 2005 in Cape Town
June Dunckley passed on 1992 in Oranjemund

Regards
Gregg

Thanks Gregg.....

Does anyone have Tanse's contact details, Ken was my daughters god farther, not heard from Tanse since Ken passed away.