A Tribute to a Dear Friend

Noddy, as we have always known him, has been a part of our family since 1982...the year we married and the year Johan decided to join the Budgerigar Society.  Noddy was one of the members of the Pietermaritzburg club and when we met him he was already getting on in years.  At that stage he must have been in his early sixties I think as it wasn't too many years later that he retired from working at the municipality.  The early years I didn't know him so well and only really saw him at the annual budgie club Christmas braai, but Johan met him on a regular basis at the monthly club meetings.

After our son Mark was born and later diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, he and his wife, Ann showed a genuine interest in him and his well being.  It was then that I started to get to know him and see him for the kind, caring and compassionate man that he was.  He and his wife went weekly to Greys Hospital to visit patients and whenever Mark was in hospital they were there to find out how he was and to pray for him.

Being a member of our congregation in PMB, he kept everyone at the Friday morning Men for the Master group updated on Mark, and later NiQi's health, resulting in much prayer for them both.  It was through Noddy and Ann that we met other congregants that we may not necessarily have met, through his speaking of Mark so fondly.

He was a sincere person, a gentleman to the core, who loved God first then his wife and children.  I don't remember him speaking badly of anyone, even if they were difficult people to get on with, he would find something nice to say.

The tales he would tell us of his childhood, how he met and later married Ann, life on the farm, his children, kept us in stitches many a time...not necessarily because they were all funny, it was just the way he told them.  I remember him telling us of the time he walked down Sweetwaters road in front of the car, shining a torch while his wife drove, because the lights were not working.  the tears poured down our faces as he told us in detail how many hours it took them to get home.  Then there was the time he told us about driving in reverse all the way home because the gear of the car was stuck and he couldn't move it...we laughed so hard trying to imagine him getting out of the way of  'oncoming' traffic and wondering what side of the road he drove on.  Then the stories he had about his birds and the things he used to give them to make them breed better.  He was a little man with a big booming voice and I remember him heckling Matthew as he tried to give his speech at he and Jess's wedding.  This same voice would get the attention of everyone in the bird hall as they walked around looking at the birds.  "Roll up, roll up" he would say "buy a ticket, win a bird in a cage"  everyone would smile at him, he was just so funny, without meaning to be so....these are the things I will remember about him.

I am really sad today thinking about not seeing him again when we visit in PMB, which we always did when we were there, even if it was for just an hour.  I will miss his phone calls, asking how we are, telling me how much they miss us.  I feel guilty for making empty promises to him in not writing as often as I could have done, yet I know he will forgive me because that is the person he was.

R.I.P Noddy...until we meet again, because of that I am sure...