"Lost Diamonds"

[Sheena]

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. 

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

@ 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.

[bobbysmith]

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

[Richard Opperman]

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

[Sheena]

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. 

[Hooter]

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

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

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.

[Paul (Pepe) Freemantle]

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.

[Sheena]

Thanks Pepe.  I will tell her husband and children.

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

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.

[SandyB]

These anniversaries .. we will  do remeberance of ..
till one day when the time is right  and  our inner voice tells us its Ok .. 
there is no need to anymore ..
We overcome  the  feeling of obligation .. 
as the universe continually expands  ,so do our lives ,
and our  departed become then our fellow travellers in time .. 
Soulmates in our hearts 
as it should be ..

[Leon Sumter]

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.

[Leon Sumter]

forgot the other two attachments.

[georgswa (Georg Ruf) (RIP)]

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

[Leon Sumter]

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