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In Memorium

Nora Margaret Lever (nee Owen)
22 June 1906 - 28 Nov 2007

Our Mum, Molly Lever, passed away on 28th November 2007 at the age of 101

My speech in tribute to Mum at her memorial service on Sunday 2 December 2007 at the George Presbyterian Church.

Mum loved to watch the cricket and her third last entry in her diary was “SA Won”. She scored her own century plus 1 and she also won. She won the race of a wonderful and full life.

Yes, she loved cricket but her greatest love in the last third of her life was for God as revealed to her through her experience of the Lord Jesus Christ, and close to that, and above everything else here on earth was her love for her children, Ann, Pam and myself. A love that we always knew and are grateful for – she will be greatly missed by us but I can rejoice that she knew where her soul was destined to the extent that she held no fear of death – indeed, as her tiny body succumbed to increasing frailty in this last year, she longed for. Her hope was sincerely and passionately wrapped up with the words of our Lord as recorded by the Apostle John in:

John 14:2-4: In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

And also in the words of the Apostle Paul when he wrote to the Corinthian church in:

2 Corinthians 5:1: “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.”

Mum had a long life filled with many adventures and goodness. Born in Johannesburg she met our Dad when she was living in Illovo. Dad courted her all the way from Rhodesia as it was known then, driving down and back in a model T Ford taking some four to five days to do the trip. He was a cattle rancher until he lost his home and all his First WW medals and regalia in a devastating fire that burned down his thatched home. After they were married in Johannesburg Mum and he traipsed the rivers and streams of Rhodesia , panning for alluvial gold. In those days they lived off the land and Mum, with her 22 hornet rifle hunted game for the pot. Their nomadic home consisted of two corrugated iron water tanks with windows and door cut out of the sides. While moving from one location to another they were transported on ox wagons along with all their bush possessions. At the next likely spot to find gold, floors of mud or darga and dung were spread, the tanks set upon them, branches cut for roof beams and grass cut for thatching.

That was the pioneering life that they enjoyed in their early married days. They then joined Dad’s brother, John in Filabusi where John had established a gold mine shaft but it was not long before Dad took to farming, first in Hartley where sister Ann was born and then in Norton where Pam and I were born and brought up until I reached the age of 12 and Pam 10. Those farm day years have wonderful memories for all of us. Mum’s green fingers produced three wonder full gardens; one of vast lawns with many trees and beautiful beds of flowers surrounding the homestead. Then another, an acre of the most delicious and lush vegetables and strawberries that you could wish for. Lastly several orchids of fruit trees – mangoes – oranges – lemons - peaches – plums and granadillas. Pam and I spent many happy moments perched on the branches munching to our full and spoiling our dinners – much to Mum and Dad’s disapproval. Ann being 8 years older than us was mostly at boarding school at those times. We have seen more of each other now in our adult years that we did during our childhoods.

In 1956 we moved to Salisbury . We moved from a farm that started at 2100 acres decreased with partitioning to first 1400 and finally 700 acres. The last 700 acres reduced to 1 acre when we moved to Salisbury after Dad sold out the farm. Our high school days are filled with wonderful memories of Mum and Dad as they continued a tradition of taking yearly vacations to the South African coast and to Biera in Mozambique .

With Ann married and Pam and I packed off to universities in South Africa, I to Wits and Pam to UCT Mum and Dad moved from 1 acre to a caravan. For a few years they enjoyed a wonderful time touring this beautiful land until the caravan was written off near Delmas, in a jack knife incident in the then Transvaal. The car was fine and they traded the wrecked remains of the caravan for a Venter trailor and retired to a cottage in Uvongo where Dad passed away in 1972.

Ann was there to be with Mum when Dad departed. Pam and I at that stage were absent. Pam in the middle East and I in the USA . Today the tables are turned and Pam and I are here for Mum while Ann is in London with her eldest son, Michael for the Christmas holidays.

After Dad left us Mum stayed with Ann and her husband Klaas, first going back to Zimbabwe and then to Johannesburg and finally to George. During this time Mum took off on travels to the Middle East, Japan , and the USA – she was a well traveled lady. When Ann and Klaas decided to return to Joburg, Mum said, “That is enough moving around for me, I’m staying right her in George.”  She was one of the first intakes at the newly built RLR center and for 25 years, No 25 RLR was her home where she made many good friends – many of whom passed on before her.  This the longest she has ever spent in one place. For the last 5years her home has been No 2 Kilpin House

Now, at 101, she was more than ready to go home to her creator, where I can look forward to seeing her again.

It simply remains for me to say a big thank you to all of you for being here to bid her farewell from this life into the next.

A special thanks to her sister and our Aunt Pat, now, at 91 the senior matriarch in our extended family, for being with us today. Also here with thanks is our cousin Lesley Grunewald from Knysna, Andrew, our nephew is here to represent  his mother, Ann and her husband, Klaas, who are in the UK with Ann’s eldest son Michael and family who could not be with us today but have sent a message. I am grateful that sister Pam, all the way from San Francisco , is here with me. Her love and support has been invaluable.

Then there are all those who have contributed greatly to Mum’s quality of life during her time here in Goerge. I cannot name everyone but you know who you are. However I would like to give special mention to

Margo Ramshaw – thank you for your many kindnesses and all the errands you ran for Mum.

Jean Versveld – thank you for your frequent visits and fellowship with Mum and to your attention to the flowers we have here today.

Linda Hunter and Rose deSwart for keeping Mum in touch with the church on all your visits during her years of frailty.

Heather Barnard – for always remembering Mum in your Bible studies and the notes that you kept taking to her; also for accommodating Pam and I on many visits to be with Mum. To this end, a big thanks also to Kay Wright for putting me up on this occasion.

Joyce Lilford for all the times you refreshed Mum’s vases with flowers from the gardens, especially roses from her dedication bush.

Dawn Logue and Erica Brinker for running the wonderful ship of all that the RLR stands for and gave Mum a comfortable last ride of her life 

Sister Lennie and Sister Kay and all the staff at Kilpin for their unceasing care and patience with Mum – even when she was a bit cranky – At her age I think she was entitled to be.

Thank you Rod Adamson, pastor and friend, for stepping in at such short notice to help us send Mum off with this memorial service and thanks to those who have helped with the refreshments right after this, in the hall.

We love you, Mum, and look forward to seeing you again  in eternity. Your wish to be in heaven with our Lord is now fulfilled.

I thank God for your faith.

During the Moments in Time calendar shoot in George
August 2007
Mum is the January 2009 "Pin-Up"