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| Vol 13 | 2016
Tributes
KCweb
Full listing and tributes on Old Boys | Trbutes.
Please send death notices and tributes to
IN MEMORIAM
CHRIS DIEDERICKS
(Kearsney Staff 1968-1993)
Chris Diedericks joined the staff of Kearsney
College in the third term of 1968, having taught
previously in South West Africa (Namibia),
Estcourt andWartburg.
A man of formidable stature, he had earned
his provincial rugby colours as a forward in
the South West African team. Keeping himself
well-conditioned in the weights room, he played
for the Old Crocks against the Kearsney One-
Stripe.
Chris taught Afrikaans at Kearsney for over 25
years and was the legendary Housemaster of
Pembroke House from 1978 to 1987, a decade
during which he ensured that the House
dominated the tug o’ war.
He had a keen sense of humour and was a
walking treasury of jokes and humorous stories
which he enthusiastically shared with his pupils
and colleagues. A great practical joker, he often
caught teachers off their guard by submitting
an examination script under the name of a
boy who was absent from school on the day it
was written. Needless to say, the answers were
often creative and sometimes risqué.
Known to the boys as DD or Slomo, because
of his laboured manner of walking, Chris
kept an ear to the ground and was quick to
discover smokers and their new dens, and to
gain foreknowledge of parties which might
encourage boys to bunk out.
On one occasion, such a “bunker” returned to
his cube, worse for wear, in the early hours of a
Sunday morning to find DD in his bed ready to
apprehend him!
In a tribute paid to Chris when he retired at
the end of 1993,
Dave Pearse
(Class of 1974)
mentioned that he “always had a soft spot for
the ‘rebels’ in the school and over the years was
one of the few masters who won these boys’
respect and admiration. He obviously never had
a great deal of a problem with discipline, but it
was incredible to see boys with no motivation
and ambition suddenly find new direction
under Chris’ guidance. I’m sure there are a few
successful Kearsney Old Boys out there today
who can thank Chris Diedericks for setting
them on the right road.”
Chris and his wife Marieta retired to Philippolis
where he continued teaching at the local school,
soon proudly proclaiming that he was Head of
English and Sotho as well as of Afrikaans!
After Marieta’s death he continued to live at
Philippolis but also undertook some travelling,
including a walking tour of Russia. More recently,
he re-married and moved to Parys.
Chris is survived by his widow Sue Blom, his
sons Ulrich, Stefan and Riaan and his daughter,
Zelda. He will be fondly remembered and sorely
missed by all who knew him at Kearsney.
Rus in vrede, ons dierbare DD.
Dave Goldhawk
(Kearsney Staff 1984-2013)
In Memory
We remember KCOB members who have died since the end
of 2014, and notify you, with regret, of the following deaths.
Neil Tomkin
1961 - 1964 (Unknown)
December 2014
Alastair McEwan
1958 - 1962 (Pembroke)
16 January 2015
Brian Shagam
1943 - 1946 (Finningley)
February
Owen John Potto
1959 - 1964 (Unknown)
February
Qiniso ‘Quincy’ Jansen
2005 - 2007 (Pembroke)
01 February
Donald Paterson
1963 - 1967 (Gillingham)
06 February
Jelf Russell-Boulton
1945 - 1949 (Finningley)
18 March
Lawrence Edis (Larry) Crampton
1974 - 1977 (Unknown)
09 April
Anthony Robin Schruer
1951 - 1956 (Gillingham)
28 April
Harold Groom
1944 - 1947 (Gillingham)
28 June
Selwyn Evennett
1947 - 1952 (Gillingham)
10 July
Roger Ramseyer
1950 - 1953 (Finningley)
13 July
Dennis Beningfield
1941 - 1942 (Gillingham)
03 August
Trevor Naylor
1964 - 1965 (Unknown)
September
Lindsay Sharp
1965 - 1970 (Unknown)
01 September
William Rake
1964 - 1967 (Unknown)
08 September
Chris Diedericks
1968 - 1993 (Past staff)
15 September
Clive Home
1956 - 1959 (Pembroke)
01 October
Roy Antrobus
1980 - 1982 (Pembroke)
01 October
TimWorthington
1945 - 1948 (Finningley)
02 October
Chris ‘Spook’ Smyth
1969 - 1974 (Pembroke)
29 January 2016
