ST MARY’S DSG

OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION

NEWSLETTER

MAY 2008
 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF
ST MARY’S DSG OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION

2008 Reunion calls again and there are some exciting promises coming to
fruition. Our 50th Anniversary Old Girls from 1958 have been working hard on
a spectacular Reunion. The 40s, 30s, 20s and 10s also have exciting plans
afoot. It is always a memorable time for us and we hope that as many of you
as possible will join us.

This year will be a special Reunion for the Old Girls’ Association as we will be
celebrating our seventy-fifth anniversary. So many changes have taken place
at our grand old School, which is why we urge you to come and share it all
with us.

Jeanette van der Breggen has, as always been a star about keeping us in
touch with one another and the School. We encourage anyone who lives in
Pretoria who would like to be nominated onto the OG’s Committee to please
submit your names and details to Jeanette for consideration at the AGM.

The School’s PRO team will be on hand for conducted tours after the Lunch.

A full report of the OG’s activities during the year will be made at the Reunion.

Please join us and renew old acquaintances and share happy and amusing
memories.

Best wishes to you all

God bless

Di Gibbs (Penrose 1957)

President St Mary’s DSG Old Girls’ Association

 We have pleasure in inviting you to attend

REUNION 2008

SATURDAY, 12 JULY

10:00 Tea and Registration (in the courtyard outside chapel)

10:30 Chapel Service
12:00 Pre-lunch drinks (in courtyard between hall and south wing)
12:30 Lunch and AGM
14:30 Tour of the School

Please RSVP to Jeanette van der Breggen:

Postal address: 74 Marian Road, Lynnwood Glen, Pretoria, 0081

Email: hvdb@iafrica.com
Tel: 012 348 5287
Cell: 083 469 3886 (Before 20 June 2008)

There will be a charge of R60.00 per person for lunch and drinks, which can
be paid at Registration.

Notice is also hereby given of the AGM of the Association, which will be
held during lunch. Any matters to be placed on the agenda should please
also be referred to Jeanette van der Breggen.

Notice is hereby given that, at the AGM of the Association to be held on 12

July 2008, a proposal will be tabled to amend the Constitution of the
Association with respect to the financial year of the Association to move this
from 1 May to 30 April of the following year to 1 January to 31 December each
year, to commence from 1 January 2009. The reason for this amendment is
to have the financial year of the Association run concurrently with that of the
school as the audits of both will henceforth be done together.

The proposal involves an amendment to Clause 13 of the Constitution which

currently reads as follows:

“Official Year of the Association:

13 The official year, as well as the financial year, of the Association shall
commence on the 1st of May each year and end on 30th of April each year.”

It is proposed that this paragraph be amended as follows:

“Official Year of the Association:

13 The official year, as well as the financial year, of the Association shall
commence on the 1 January each year and end on 31 December each year.”
NEWS FROM FAR AND WIDE

1946 June Bracey (Gyngell) jbracey@iafrica.com

Thanks for the very interesting newsletter. I am anchored here in Somerset West and see
nobody. What a wonderful life some of the girls have, being overseas and travelling around.
I have lost contact with the only Old Girl I know in Somerset West Joan Mary (Nothard)

1947 Mairead Williams (Mcdonald) mairead@xanet.co.za

In trying to set up the 60 years on for the ‘47 Matrics, I had a nice letter from the middle
Angus daughter, Rosemary Creswell, to which she appended the following:

"My family details: Rosemary Cresswell (Angus) now a great-grandmother lives comfortably
and happily in her cottage, Unit 79, Marmanet Retirement Village, 248 Bergriver Rd,
Terenure, Kempton Park. Tel 011 976 9179. My daughter, Mariana, and her family, and my
son, Johan, and his family, live just a few minutes away from me. My eldest son is
domiciled at Silver Lakes, outside Pretoria. I have five granddaughters in Gauteng and my
only grandson David, lives in Christchurch, NZ. My three little grandsons are also in Kempton
Park. So you see it’s a very family orientated life that I lead. I am an active member of the
local Methodist Church."

1951 Jeanette Eve (van der Riet) D.eve@ru.ac.za

I should also like you to include a bit about the late Sally Sampson (1950) in the next
newsletter. I've adapted a few excerpts from the eulogy I delivered at her funeral in the
Grahamstown Cathedral.

Sarah 'Sally' Mary Sampson (1950) died on 25 November 2007 after a short illness. Sally was
an unusual person, completely unselfconscious and not always aware that her high volume
questions about personal matters might cause embarrassment! But she cared deeply about
people: her family (including her three sisters, Georgina, Caroline and Hattie who all attended
St Mary's); her friends and acquaintances; the many folk who looked after her in recent years.
Sally had a sharp mind and sense of humour, an amazing memory for detail, a somewhat
eccentric form of graciousness and a generosity that knew few bounds.

From an early age Sally was afflicted by retinitis pigmentosa - RP - a degenerative eye
disease. That and an increasingly severe hearing problem made life very difficult, but Sally
soldiered on valiantly.

One of the legacies from her education by the CSMV Sisters at St Mary's DSG was her
devotion to the church. She was word perfect in many of the collects and always knew where
we were in the church's calendar. When regular attendance became difficult because of
physical frailty, she would always make an effort, with the help of friends, to get to the
cathedral on feast days.

Sally had a BA degree and a diploma in librarianship from Rhodes University. She was an
ardent collector of books and, in her hey-day, published articles in magazines, newspapers
and journals, which exemplified her sharp observation, meticulous historical research and
splendid turn of phrase.

Sally lived in Grahamstown for more than half of her 74 years, and our little city is not the
same without her and the special DSG flavour she brought to it.

1953 Susan Fenton (Entwistle) fleury@xsinet.co.za

For your information, I am still living in Mossel Bay - have been here for nearly four years, but
my future plans are somewhat unsettled as my husband Keith died in December 2006.
Please do continue to send me news of our beloved School and I hope that I will be able to
attend one of the reunions in the next couple of years.

1954 Merriel Lane (Nimmo) mjlane@absamail.co.za

Perhaps Islay has told you that Elizabeth (Perrot) Coleman has died - she went to New
Zealand and had lung problems and then went back to England where a lung tumour was
discovered. Apparently she was waiting for chemo when she suddenly died - possible a
stroke.

1958 Virginia Newton (Dugmore) evdnewton@hotmail.com

After leaving school I went to Johannesburg College of Education and trained as a primary
school teacher. Pat Van der Valk and I were roommates for the three years. We have
maintained our friendship since then. I taught for about 37 years in Pretoria and
Johannesburg. The last 25 of those years were at Bryneven Primary in Bryanston where I
became Head of Guidance. I loved teaching and would probably follow the same pattern if I
had my life over again.

After retiring at the end of 2005, I spent several months Caring in the UK. I found that looking
after two very dear old ladies in Sherston and Brockham was an interesting change from
teaching. Living in those quaint English villages was almost like being on retreat. The pace
was slow and the atmosphere relaxed. I combined these work stints with three trips to the
States.

Trevor and I had three children who brought us great joy. Sadly Trevor passed away in 1992
before any of our children were married. I now have 5½ grandchildren. My youngest daughter
Megan is having her second little one in April in Seattle where she and Travis live. Needless
to say I am planning another visit to the States before our reunion.

I think that it is wonderful that so many of us are going to meet for our 50 th anniversary and
am so looking forward to seeing you all again.

1959 Verity Murray (Leith) james@emm.com.au

I look forward to attending Annual Old Girls Reunion next year for our 50 th.

1962 Ann Vonk (Jonas) jvonk@yebo.co.za

We, my husband, Jan, and I have been living in Hout Bay since retirement in 1998.  I have
now given up riding and play a lot of tennis instead. Hout Bay is (still) small enough to have a
good community inter-action which we find really great. My son is married to Kim (Meyer)
1992 and they have two sons. 
 
I notice that there is no correspondence from anyone from ‘my’ year.  A few of us had a get
together a couple of years ago – Colleen Smith (von Pittius), Penny Simpson, Jeanne
(Pistorius) and Denise from 1993 (van Schaik).  A great time was had by all.  Gilly Shreeve
(Kossuth) lives a block away from us.  As our daughter lives in England, I keep up with
Monica Kenny (Grant Mackenzie) most years – she is just fine. Jill Castle (Fleming) now lives
in south western France.
  
Most winters we head north to see our daughter and her growing family in England.   For the
last ten years we have then headed off to our yacht which we moor in different marinas every
year.  At present Chispa is in Pula, northern Croatia.  We have a website www.sy-
chispa.co.za which you may enjoy looking at.

1962 Dianne Martin vasbyt2503@sbcglobal.net

 I have had a wonderful time with my dear old school friend, Celeste Black, (Wagner), in
Charlotte, North Carolinathis past week.  She and I were at school at DSG, and although she
was five years behind me at school, we remember one another well. We used to catch the
same school bus from Arcadia in the 60s, and I also remember her from the prep room, as we
were both day girls, who stayed for games in the afternoons.  We met on line about a year
and a half ago, and she has so wanted me to come and visit her. We have talked so much
about our old school days and remembered so many things about DSG, even though we
have not seen one another for over 40 years!! I have been here a week, and fly back tonight
to Dallas, TX, where I live.  I have loved this part of the USA, and could gladly retire here.
Charlotte and North Carolina have so much to offer, yet do not have the hectic pace of the
bigger cities. We went up into the mountains for two days, where Celeste’s husband, Steve's
family live, and we travelled all along the Blue Ridge and Smokey Mountains, and saw the
most magnificent sights and views. All the mountain laurel bushes were in bloom, and they
were a sight to behold!! We visited with Steve's three sisters and their families - they were so
hospitable, and it was fun meeting with them. We saw some famous sights - Cold Mountain -
where the story of the movie takes place, the Biltmore Mansion - the magnificent estate of the
Van der Bilts, and so much more on the road up and back, and through the mountains.
People in Charlotte are so hospitable and kind, and Celeste, Steve, and her friends have
really shown me true southern hospitality. We have been out almost every night, and people
have been so wonderful to me.  One of her friends, Pat , is a tour guide, so she took us on a
tour of Charlotte, and to the Hezekiah Alexander house, (an 18th century early settler to
Charlotte from Virginia,)  and also the Charlotte History Museum and the Mint Museum - the
city was named after England's George 111's wife , Charlotte of Mecklenburg. All the streets
in downtown Charlotte have the royal crown on them - they still acknowledge the old British
royal emblem. I also found out that alluvial gold was first discovered in Charlotte in the early
1800's, before it was panned out, and the find was made in California. I used to work as a
guide at Gold Reef City in Joannesburg for many years prior to leaving South Africa - so I was
fascinated by all this. The first USA Mint was here in Charlotte. There is so much early USA
history here, and I am fascinated by it. We did not manage to get to the sea, but it is only 3
hours away- so next time I visit, we will go to one of the seaside places and visit Raleigh and
Duke University, about two hours north of Charlotte. Last night we were out on their boat on
Lake Norman, to watch the July 4th fireworks all along the lake shore - it was fabulous!! I will
take back with me fond memories of this area of the USA - Charlotte reminds me so much
of Pretoria - I could easily live here! The area is covered in the most magnificent trees, which I
have sorely missed in Texas all these years. So I feel invigorated, and am ready to go back
and work for a part of the month of July. I then leave again for San Francisco, and the Napa
Valley to the wedding of the son of an old Pretoria and DSG friend who lives in Chicago, (she
was there from Grade 1- Std. 5 - Lindy Rubin, (Greenwall))  at the beginning of August.
I will be working part time for a few weeks till the end of July, before I go back to teaching
Latin and Speech in late August at the high school, where I have been for the past seven
years. I must also help my daughter Jody with all her requirements for going back for her
junior year to Texas A and M University near Houston in the Fall.  I feel rested and have so
enjoyed this week away from home - it has been a good break, and I am ready to get back -
but I look forward to coming out here again. Celeste and her husband are coming to stay with
us over our Christmas break, and we will all go down to San Antonio, Texas for a few days -
they are such a wonderful couple. Both of them are studying for their Masters degrees - his in
Business and hers in Education - she teaches in an elementary school in Corcorde near
Charlotte.  Celeste and I plan to come back to South Africa to see family, and friends and to
be in Pretoria for her 40th Reunion at DSG in 2008.

Celeste forwarded me some wonderful photos of the 2007 Old Girls Reunion, including those
of the new Angelus bell and of the front of the school and some of the class of 1957.
Yesterday, my sister, Sandra Tarlie sent me some more photos, with those of her class of
1957, and a very special photo of Mother Joan, and one of the prefects board of my year, with
my name on it. I felt quite emotional and nostalgic to see all these, and wished I had been
there for the Reunion.

 I wonder if you could help me. I have been trying, in vain, for a few years to locate Yvonne
Steyn, the mother of Cheryl Catarino, (Steyn.) who matriculated with me in 1962. I have also
tried to contact Cheryl over the years - I know that her husband was Ambassador for Portugal
to the USA from 2002 - 2006 - and although I had left countless messages at the Embassy,
and tried to email her, I have had no response. I think that they have now returned to
Portugal. However, I am interested in finding her mother, who used to live in Albert Street in
Waterkloof, but I do not think that she lives there any longer, as the mail I have sent her in the
past two years has been returned to me. I would so like to find her, as she was very close and
good to me in the years before I left South Africa, and my daughter and I used to visit her
often. If you do not know where she is, maybe some of my old classmates would. None of
them have kept in contact with me over the years, except for dear Mignon du Toit, who died a
few years ago. I know that Wendy Utermark (Brink) would know where she may be, as well as
Anne Marie Dixon, (I do not know her married name.) I am so keen to find her before it is too
late. She is now probably in her 80s and may have moved into a retirement home. I want to
update her on all our news - if you had an address and a phone number - it would be
wonderful.

I plan to start my M Ed in the Spring (USA) of 2008 - I will do it in Linguistics. It is never too
late to study!!

1965 Vanessa Eales (Brathwaite) ness.eales@dsl.pipex.com

Joan Turk and Vanessa Eales would like to know if any Old Girls would like to meet in London
next year in October 2008 with a view to starting a London Branch of DSG Old Girls.
Joan has proposed using the Hurlingham club facilities, as she is a member. The initial
thought is to have a Saturday lunchtime meeting, inviting Mother Barbara and Sister Deirdre
Michel to join us. We do need to know how other “Old Girls” feel about this idea and have
some rough idea of numbers.

Please could all interested people contact me direct on ness.eales@dsl.pipex.com and Joan
and I will develop this proposal further.

1965 Jennie O’Hagan (Dickie) bernieo@wol.co.za

I am Deputy Principal at Sunnyside Primary and have been teaching English at Sunnyside for
the past 15 years. I do find it rewarding as perhaps five learners have English as their home
language and we have 1080 learners enrolled at our school.
 
In February 2007, Joan Turk came out for a short holiday and several of us got together for a
delightful luncheon. It was really good to see ex classmates, some I had not seen since
1965!!!!!!

1965 Sister Barbara Claire barbaraclairecsmv@hotmail.co.uk

As you may know, I came out of office as Mother in December 2006, and the Community
granted me a wonderful 4-month sabbatical period. I spent almost a month in George,
alongside my father who is in a care home there, and then went on to Egypt where my brother
Terence Kelly (ex St Alban’s College) is living and working. I had a wonderful fortnight there
and then returned to the UK, where I spent time in Cornwall and Yorkshire before moving just
over a month ago to our house in Smethwick in the West Midlands. I am enjoying this rich
multicultural environment and all the opportunities it presents.

1965 Pippa Corte (Pank) pippacorte@mac.com

I am sending you the website of the business that I manage just for your entertainment!
www.bloomsdesign.com.au

1966 Gill Woolmer (Hall) woomer@hixnet.co.za

I have been amazed and overwhelmed by the reaction I have got from everyone since the
news of Bob's death in Jamaica.   The Class of '66 have been wonderful and lots of them
have contacted me after all these years since we left DSG - it has been lovely to hear from
them.  Old friends are always the best!   Shirley (Pocock) and Jill (Cochran), Denise (Hills)
and I had a gorgeous lunch at the Cellars Hohenhort Hotel in Constantia; it was great to re-
connect and a big thank you to all who contributed.  I needed a break!

1968 Celeste Wagner (Black) cwagnerb@yahoo.com 

It is always so uplifting to read through everyone's emails!  I have some exciting news to add
to the next big 'letter sending'!  Our son, Tristan, finally, after 31 years, was married on March
7th, 2007, to - and this is the best part, seeing as he's been living in the US since age three, -
a South African girl who moved to England five years ago!  Liza Coetzee was originally from
Boksburg, and when she moved to the UK she met my cousin's daughter through work, and
they became best friends.  Charne (cousin's daughter) and I were yahoo-chatting in July 2006
and I BEGGED her to help me find a wife for Tristan, as he wasn't doing much about trying to
find one!  He kept telling me that the Lord would provide.  Well, with a little bit of help from us
the Lord did provide and during August, Charne pretended to leave chatting with Tristan to
get a drink or something and asked Liza to chat in the meantime.  So, needless to say, they
got hooked and in January Liza said that when she came over in March they should get
married. 

They did and he now lives in the UK!!  Steve and I miss him terribly, but we are so thrilled that
he has found such a wonderful wife - and she is wonderful - and hopefully, after a couple of
years, they'll come back to the States to have those longed-for grandchildren.

But my dream came true - he married someone who would have the same longing I do, for
our good old Africa - as it gets lonely so far from home. 

Just a short note here from Dianne Martin and myself!!  Yes! Dianne and I found each other
on SAReunited last year and she was able to come up for a week - our holidays here!   She
graduated in 1962 and was a prefect - and I was terrified of her!  We used to take the same
bus to school. 
 
It has been like we've known each other forever - but then DSG girls are forever!  She had
some old yearbooks - with Mother Joan's letters etc.  It has been wonderful.

I'm so disappointed that I won’t make our 40th, but will be thinking of all of you on July 12th
having a blast!  I will be in England visiting with my son and his wife of one year, Liza.
Imagine - they both had to go to opposite continents to meet up!   That's life I suppose.  So
have fun and please contact me and let me know how it all went down. 
 
If you send me your landline numbers I can contact you by phone and we can chat as long as
you like!!  I hope I hear from all of you soon. Happy 40th,

1968 Marion Morris (Gilbertson) richard-m@xtra.co.nz

I would like to know whether you have had any interest from the class of 1968 in attending the
reunion on July 12th. I've been living in New Zealand since 2005 but will be in S.A in July so
will be able to attend.

1968 Sally Cotterell (Gordon-Bennett) coterells@telkomsa.net

Just to say that I will definitely be attending the Reunion on 12 July. I hope we have a good
turnout.

1968 Anne Rice (Wolfaard) AnneVRice@aol.com

Unfortunately I will not be able to attend Reunion this year. If anyone does come to England,
I live near Marlow in Buckinghamshire and would love to see you.

1969 Irene Downer Irene-d@adamsadams.co.za

Toastmasters Southern Africa Conference took place in North Gauteng last year and my role
was PR/Marketing and the hosting of our International Guest Speaker from the States, a
wonderful person and motivational speaker - he was a former World Champion of Public
Speaking. The planning and organisation with the rest of the team certainly took up a huge
amount of time and energy. I joined Toastmasters some 22 years ago and do not know where
all these years have gone! This is double the amount of school years - scary stuff. On a
point of information, I uncharacteristically competed in the Impromptu Contest and to my
horror won the different levels and ended up representing North Gauteng region (Div A) in the
national finals. I was not placed as the competition was very strong, but it was good
experience and in a way, fun.

Not sure whether you were aware of ex-staff member, Marie Kingwill's passing away in
November 2007. I kept in touch with her over the years although I had not seen her at all
during 2007 despite intentions to visit her - she had apparently become very frail after several
falls. She was an excellent Geography Teacher in Matric. I attended her Memorial Service in
Glenhaven as the sole and almost unofficial representative of DSG - it was well attended by
friends and family with an incredibly interesting tribute prepared by her youngest son, Bruce
(now living in France). I had intentions of visiting her during the festive season and truly
regretted not having done so earlier. She was the last link of the teaching staff for the class
of '69 - my Matric year - all our previous teachers have now passed away.

There is still one previous classmate Brenda and I were never able to track down i.e. Susan
M. Brown (generally referred to as "SMB"). She seems to have disappeared off the face of
the earth - we believe she studied possibly for a B.A, majoring in English, at Wits way back in
the early seventies. We would like to complete our list of the class of '69 with the next major
landmark anniversary looming next year i.e. our 40th - could you possibly put the word out in
"missing persons" in the April Newsletter? She is NOT to be confused with another younger
Susan Brown, the sister of my classmate, Denise Brown. Brenda was intending to try the
Alma Mater records at Wits to see if we could find something of her whereabouts here.

1969 Dinny Lawrence tadpole1948@hotmail.com

I just wanted to let you know that I am retiring in June 2007 and my husband and I are off to
Italy for three months soon afterwards.  I will have to have a serious think about what to do for
the rest of my life when we get back but first, a serious holiday!

I have had a number of emails from old girls following mom's death which has been a great
comfort.  I would love to continue to get the newsletter after my retirement - it's a great way to
hear everyone's news.  

1971 Gill Brooks (Middleton) brooksw@mweb.co.za

I still live in Tzaneen and stopped teaching at the end of 2006 to help my husband on the farm
and with his business. My son Michael is twenty-seven and got married in November. He is a
CA and is settling in Nelspruit. My daughter also did a BCom degree and is teaching at
Pretoria Girls High at the moment. I am still in touch with Ann Luther (Wall) who lives close by
and also teaches at the school I have just resigned from. I do hear from Di Potgieter (Barnes)
She is living in Perth Australia and has two daughters. Her email address is
odipo@bigpond.net.au

1971 Claire Linder (Smith) linder54@bluewin.ch

My family and I are living in Zürich, have been for the last six years. It is an amazing place to
be with endless opportunities. However something will always be missing and that is a
familiarity and shared history and so the newsletter helps to plug the gap a bit. I get back to
Cape Town from time to time and manage to see those ‘71 Matrics who still live there. I
would also like to say hello to the rest of the class if they should one day read this email.

1971 Lindy Bedborough (Viall) lindyb@stmary.co.za

I moved to Johannesburg at the beginning of the year and therefore left my position at
Herschel. The reason... I am now married to Peter Bedborough
 
I am having a three-month break and then am taking up the Marketing position at St Mary's
Waverley, which I am thrilled about. It will be nice to stay in schools’ marketing and St Mary's
looks like a wonderful school. I start there in April.
 
News of my girls - Kathryn is a qualified doctor and doing her two year internship at Grootte
Schuur. Nicole is doing her LLB at UCT. Both girls are living in my house in Rondebosch.

1972 Penny McClure (Fell) penemc@mweb.co.za

Regarding your letter asking for further information about the Old Girls’ Angelus Bell, my
mother, Margaret Fell (Robson) and a dear friend of hers Dorothy Green (Brown) both say
that it is probably the Bell that was rung as the angelus for chapel when it was in the Moat.
They both immediately remembered the bell.

1972 Sarah Lawton (Lambert) sarahlawton@lineone.net

2012 does sound like a date we should all be putting in our diaries.  If nothing else I might
well want to escape the London Olympics!  You must all remember that I was never one for
sport!!

At the moment I am looking forward to a brief visit from Terry in a few weeks’ time and she is
usually my source of any DSG news.

As for my news, I have nothing of earth shattering merit.  At present we have both our
children living at home which we enjoy but, at 24 and 26, they can’t wait to move on and this
will happen just as soon as they are successful getting onto the property ladder.  This is
easier said than done in the present market but we are hopeful for them.  More importantly,
they are both employed in the fields they wanted to be in, namely documentary film making
and publishing.

Within the next year, my husband Charles will be retiring and we hope to move out of London,
probably to Sussex where we are renting a house at present.  It is a daunting prospect and I
do not relish the idea of being a “pensioner” – that makes me feel far too old!

If ever any of you are passing through London, it would be great to meet.

1973 Gail Kelly (Currer) KELLYG@stgeorge.com.au

The spreadsheet took me back looking at the names on the 1973 list, and remembering the
teachers.  Mrs Van Outshoorn and Mrs Lawrence were favourites for me!
 
Yes, my mother is Pat Currer, she is living here in Sydney too, in fact she has just moved into
a nursing home which has been quite stressful all round (she is now 90 years old).
 
I will certainly add something to your next newsletter, and if anyone from the school would like
to get in touch, it would be a pleasure to hear from them. I feel like I have been quite slack!
 
You may also remember Janet Morris, now Currer, my sister-in-law. She and Trevor have
lived in Sydney since 1994 and have five children, youngest being 17. Janet's e-mail is
tcurrer@bigpond.net.au and she would love to hear from you. Her sister, Rosemary, who was
in my class, lives in Brisbane. I don't have her e-mail, but have her phone no 07-38781152. I
caught up with her recently at our niece's wedding (one of Janet's daughters) and we spoke
of DSG and one day getting to a reunion!

 1974 Susan-Jane Goldberg (Brown) sj.goldberg@manta.co.za

I am living in Jhb near the Coca Cola Dome, have two cats and a horse (no kids – married
late) and am still working in the Medical Industry, which is fraught with all sorts of challenges
at the moment.

I miss the Old Girls I don’t see, but still keep in touch with Kathy Engelbrecht (Carey), Cathy
Brennon (Winckworth) and Debbie Heron (Botha). I have recently reconnected with Sue
Clarence (Kirk-Cohen) – whom I will definitely look up in Durban when next there. Cherry
Biden (Michau) called me for my 50th birthday to my great delight, and will also be looking her
up. She has just established a private practice in Scottburgh. I would love to hear from
Jenny Lundie, Margo Swan, and Judy Welsh. Love to Liz (Poynton) and Margie (Salmon) and
Jean (McIvor). Perhaps we will all meet for our 40th?

1974 Margot Swan (Williams) usaswan5@bellsouth.net

Sadly I see there was very little contact from my Matric year of 1974 - and I too was guilty of
not getting news to you earlier but hopefully this can make it into the next one.

I am living in Atlanta, GA USA with my husband (of 26 years) Clive and our three children,
Chris (22), Alastair (20) and Lucy (16) - having moved here in November 1999.

We are so proud of our children who have settled so happily into life in the USA and are
making the most of every possible opportunity.

Chris who is doing extremely well in his Civil Engineering degree here at Georgia Tech and in
August will be going to do a year of study abroad at Leeds University in England. He is also
very involved in and excited about a program being started up by Georgia Tech to link up with
"Tukkies" in Pretoria, to help struggling countries in Africa with the improvement of their
infrastructure to better the quality of life for the people.

Alastair graduated from High School last May and is also going to study Civil Engineering, but
at Georgia Southern University nearer the Georgia coast. He has had a wonderful four years
in High School, doing really well on the Cross Country and Lacrosse teams. He is hoping to
continue playing Lacrosse at university.

Lucy started High School last August, and is also an avid lacrosse player. I have become a
real lacrosse fanatic and thoroughly enjoy being involved in my kids sporting activities and
vicariously reliving my youth through them without all the moods and drama of my own.
1976 Janet Bull (de Beer) bullskis@t-online.hu
 
A long lost sheep returns to the fold here!    For what it’s worth, here is my typically long-
winded life’s summary. I’d like for my email to be added to your mail listing as I’d love to
receive further newsletters.   This address will be good until June 2008, when we move to
Switzerland).
 
My sister in law, Jane Doherty, has just forwarded your Old Girls newsletter on to me.   It has
been absolutely years since I had contact with good old DSG and all the news of Old Girls.    I
was very sad to read that Mrs Lawrence had died this year – she lived around the corner from
us in Waterkloof and bravely taught me English.  My regards to her two daughters, who I
remember as being beauties but whom no doubt, have no idea who I am, especially as I was
such a junior at the time of knowing their mother.   It was great to sit down to read all the
entries made by so many people I remember with fondness. 
 
It is hard to think “my year”, 1976/77 are all now middle-aged and the sort of age that many of
our teachers were when we were at school.  Only teachers and parents ever seem to be
middle-aged – not us!!   But………..
 
I have lost touch most sadly with all my school chums, (Caroline de Groot, Liz Carey, Fran de
Klerk, Sandy Collins, Sue Morris, Harriet Gavshon, Tony Schumlow, Anne Sutton, Shelagh ?,
from Waterkloof Ridge – yikes, the old memory is playing up here, know the scenario
anyone? Sorry Sheelagh!)   If anyone knows how I could contact them, I’d be delighted to
receive their email addresses.
 
I have been living in Eastern Europe for the last 12 years, bringing up and even adding to my
family.  Gary, my husband is with SABMiller and we pioneered out to Poland first, where our
“laat lammertjie” Nicholas was born, 10 years ago – but they didn’t want to give him a Polish
passport, nor did the British, nor did the South Africans – so poor tot was stateless for weeks
until the South African authorities relented, but not without a hammering fight!    Next we
headed for Prague, Czech Republic, quite the most beautiful city and now Budapest, Hungary
where we’ve been for four years.   We’re destined for Zug, Switzerland in June 2008, but not
before our 2nd eldest, Gabby-17, has completed her International Baccalaureate diploma at
the American International School of Budapest.  (The US/International academic system is so
very different from what DSG was like; one just cannot even start comparing the two systems
and methodologies).   Our eldest, Jemma, 19, is a successful graduate of the International
system and is studying Business at Surrey University in Guildford.  
 
Sadly, none of my children have their hearts in South Africa, not having grown up much there
– they’re categorised Global or International Citizens.  They are fluent in Polish and if asked
where they come from; they all think they’re Polish!  My heart breaks as there is nothing to
beat the beauty, climate and vibrancy of our Mother Land!  Viva Africa.   I fly my SA flag
boldly and at every opportunity I can!   Fortunately I’ve instilled the need to retain our good old
SA accents!    So, there’s no tainting on that front, at least.
 
To keep my grey matter firing, I import and sell CaRRoL BoYeS pewter, have done for almost
ten years,  with huge pride both as a South African expat in Europe but also because Carrol
(I’m sure she’s also an Old Girl of DSG?) is a really gifted artist with a huge heart.
 
Please add me to your newsletter mailing list.   I’d love to receive news again.  Best regards
to all DSG Old Girls – I still have my DSG coffee cup from at least 28 years ago, received at
the one and only Old Girls Reunion I managed to attend!
 
Lovely talking to you, even if one sided.    Please send my fondest, warmest wishes to Sister
Deirdre Michael – a very special lady.

1976 Darrell Farrow (Creighton-Jones) farrow.darrell@gmail.com

Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend old girls this year as I am relocating to Canada in the
near future. 

1977 Ingrid Wimbury (Anderson) wimburys@bigpond.com

After a long, long silence I am taking the plunge and saying hello again from the other side of
the world - down under, where Chris and I and our two boys James (14) and Josh (12) have
lived for the last six years. We live in rural Victoria, Australia, about three hours from
Melbourne. Chris is a GP in a big practice in Horsham where we have lived for the last year.
Previously we were in a really tiny farming town on the Vic South Australian border.
Thankfully Horsham is bigger, more to my liking with quite an arty/cultural side to life here. I
have been involved in the two arts festivals that are held in March and October and just done
two months work for another festival in the Grampian Mountains south of us. The latter were
celebrating the survival and recovery of the huge and devastating fires of January 2006. In
between this I do my own art work, do a few courses at Uni (textiles, photography, painting
and what ever else) and have just been asked to give a few classes working with people with
special needs. I have also recently done a series of art workshops with migrant women, which
was fascinating.

1978 Mary-Ann Dummer yespersonnel@mweb.co.za

No scintillating news as I seem to be predominantly focussed on work - real stuff which

boosts the coffers, plus a voluntary side-line thing, plus editing a book for someone
(effectively I'm permanently attached to my laptop) - but we're getting back to golf again in two
months time which will be wonderful, and which will provide a much needed healthy activity.
1978 Trish Bishop (Elliott) tbishop@slingslop.co.nz

Hi to you all.  It has been wonderful reading all the news, from so many parts of the world.  I
live in Palmerston North, New Zealand, with my husband Brian, who is a vet, and two sons,
Shane now one, and Kyle nearly fourteen.  We have been here for eight years now, so we are
well settled, live on a lifestyle block just out of town, and really enjoy the space, peace and
tranquility it gives us after work each day.  I work as an itinerant teacher of blind and low
vision kids – love the work and find it very rewarding.  Teenagers on the other hand are
another type of challenge, and think I would rather have a house-full of toddlers. However, we
will not be in SA for Reunion, but will look forward to hearing about it.

1978 Meg Couperthwaite (Elphick) structures2000@absamail.co.za

My girls are now nearly 16 and 14 and running us ragged with their social lives. Jen (16) was
a Deb at school last year culminating in a Ball at the Wanderers. We had to go the whole hog
with the dress, shoes, hair, partner, dancing lessons, make up etc. The one thing that has
become immediately apparent is that they are no longer little girls but young ladies and are
growing up far too quickly. Rob is polishing his shotgun. He is firmly convinced that his two
girls are the best looking in the world. (Isn’t every Dad?)
 I contacted Dr Impey and he said that Angie has moved to London lecturing at the university.
The email address he has for her is impey@ukzn.ac.za. She is married to a musician and
has spent time in Ethiopia and Sudan studying ethnic music. Apparently Lou Meintjes has
been staying with her in London so we might be able to get her email address too. Sue is
back in Nelspruit and her phone number is 013 744 1912. Lauren is in Cape Town and is
counselling abused children.  Lesley Lange (Heunis) is in Johannesburg running her own
personnel recruitment agency. Her email address is llange@mweb.co.za. She is married with
two children Nicolette and Timothy.

Fiona Carver (McHardy) is living in Irene Pretoria and is a secretary at Cornwall College. She
has two children Scott (23) and Ashleigh (19). Her email address is f.carver@cornwall.co.za

Sally Adams (Parkin) is back in South Africa and has been for a couple of years. She works
as a landscape architect and loves her job. Sal is not easily contactable on email as she
doesn’t believe in it!! Her numbers are 083 631 0042 or 011 467 7362. In fact it is even hard
to get her by fax! She has just the one little boy – Jamie. I think Sal has not changed one iota.

Stella went back to Limassol Cyprus to get married. I saw her once when she was back
visiting her family in the early 1980’s. She had a little boy by the name of George.

We saw Liz (Fourie) Vernon when we had our 20 th Reunion but I have tried to get her at all
the numbers I had for her with no success. She was living in the Kyalami area, married with 2
boys. Unfortunately Fourie is too common a name to phone everybody in the directory!!

The last email address I had for Kim Mullett (Glasgow) was encounterkim@yahoo.co.au I
don’t know whether that will still reach her but Anne might have an idea there. If I remember
correctly the last I heard about Kim was that she was training to be a minister.
I looked up Jill on the UCT website and here is the email address for her jill.farrant@uct.ac.za

1978 Jane Mennigke (Greathead) mennigke@mweb.co.za

What I am currently doing is teaching art at St Johns School in Pietermaritzburg this term as a
locum teacher, and working the rest of the time on my own work (recently had an exhibition of
landscapes at artSPACE Durban).

Francis 17 and Luke 14 have grown up so fast. Francis matriculates this year and is
contemplating doing a gap year or studying drama at Pietermaritzburg or Rhodes.

All my sisters are scattered in different places, Bainbridge Island (Seattle) Nelspruit, Cape
Town, and UK, near Northampton...little village story.
Stuart is chaplain at St Anne’s, Hilton, after several years travelling doing consultancy work
with Coprorate leadership development. Quite a change from being a full time parish priest,
but he enjoys being back in it again.

1978 Lesley Lange (Heunis) llange@mweb.co.za

I have often wondered what has happened to everyone since “the Matric lawn” days. H and I
bump into each other quite regularly as our girls are at the same school. Nicolette is 16, grade
11 and has just enjoyed the tradition of doing the Matric dance for the grade 12s. I had the joy
of discovering two days before the event that the cool drink order had actually never been put
through! The trauma of the dress and the partner is now behind us, a happy memory, and she
is back to the mundane of hockey practices and endless assignments. Tim is thirteen and in
last year of junior school. He plays the sax for the musical ones amongst us (and at least it
doesn’t sound like a violin when practicing, H!) He is lucky enough to be going to a Maths
competition in Hong Kong next month. As Meg mentioned I have been in my own business for
six years. I head-hunt senior people for companies and have been lucky to run a virtual office
from my back yard with someone else helping me from her home. It is been very hard work
but interesting getting to know emerging business leaders and I have got to know some
amazing people and grown lots of grey hairs. We are hoping to spend some time in Maputo in
August where Bruce grew up. Like Jane I am glad that school is a distant memory, but have
such nice images in my mind of all of you at different stages in our 12 year slog. Thanks for
the update.

1978 Liz Gray (Johansen) stepgray.usa@gmail.com

Well, I've resisted responding as I feel a bit like the cuckoo in the nest - but have so loved
reading everyone's emails that I have decided to join in! I can't even quite remember whether
I was part of your class for four or five years (standards 4 - 8?) but I do remember so many of
you and have lots of happy memories of individuals - such as many of you in Midsummer
Night's dream, Nerina and her flute, Sue-Anne being sporty, Helen and Louise being
brilliant and so on, and so although I didn't make it to the end I hope I can still count a bit as
part of the class of '78.

Then we moved to the UK and well ... I grew up, went to Uni, became a teacher, got married
had kids etc! I have been married to Simon since 1984 and have three kids: Adam (21, at Uni
studying medicine), David (19, at uni studying dentistry) and Fiona (16 with one year of school
to go...).

I have taught maths for years and gradually worked my way up through the system. For two
months last year I was Head of Upper school at a large, boys, private school, Whitgift School
in Croydon. But then the time came to move again - and so we have immigrated to
Washngton DC where Simon has accepted a job with the IMF (so getting a bit closer to your
heavenly sounding place, Sue-Anne). Before that I had a wonderfully hectic summer - taking
a group of kids from our church to build a garden in an orphanage in Azerbaijan, then going to
Thailand to look at a teacher training project on the Thai-Burma border which I am hoping to
get involved in ... before going to DC and then doing - well, who knows??

1978 Gwen Littlewort gwen@mplab.ucsd.edu

I live a quiet, happy life - very busy, but simple. I had a rip-roaring time in my 20s and 30s and
now I just enjoy my organic garden. What can I say? I live in San Diego, in the suburbs
(actually Solana Beach is a great, compact, surfer community), and I have a husband who
considers Vancouver to be home, who is also a scientist (no surprise there) and two
wonderful kids in
elementary school -  they are both artists, very imaginative and a bit weird, Sarafina is 11 and
Dante is 10. I don't have any photos on my work computer to send but there might be on my
website  http://mplab.ucsd.edu/~gwen/  but part of the "quiet life" is that I don't update my
website. I work on facial expression analysis, so sometimes I post related images. Maybe if I
knew people might look there, I'd put up more stuff, but I kind-of prefer writing to people by
email.
Louise Meintjes is an Ethno Musicologist at a university in the mid Atlantic. I haven't been in
touch for years, so I don't know exactly where she went after she left Austin, Texas. We had a
few fun adventures in the Cape as students.

1978  Liz Beach (Nuttall) honeyfarm@icon.co.za

Tanya (Rogers) and I have remained very firm friends (although sadly we don't get to see
each other much) over the years, and she and Sandy (McIntosh) were my bridesmaids 20
odd years ago. Sandy, now in NY was out last year and it was great to see her. Imagine our
delighted surprise recently, when her daughter Angela (18, at Randolph High School) invited
my son Andrew (18, at Michaelhouse) to be her friend on this new Global engine "Face
Book", the detail being that they met "randomly" through their mothers! The last time they saw
each other was when they were 3! To confirm, the world is becoming a very small place.
 
Rob and I still live near Howick, Stuart is 10 and at school in Hilton. Rob will be attending the
30 year reunion for his St Albans year in October, all being well. We run our own business,
bottling honey and jams, have a small multi-faceted farming operation and own The Rotunda
in Hilton.

Jane is married to Stuart Mennike and lives in Hilton. Their boys are with ours, in the same
house at Michaelhouse. I will forward all the emails to her at menningke@mweb.co.za

1978 Sandra Wrigley (McIntosh) GrahWrgly@aol.com

 
It was wonderful to hear from Anne again, she is doing a great job getting everyone together
for the big reunion of 2008!  I occasionally met up with Anne when I lived in Cape Town for 20
years, but three years ago we moved to Randolph, New Jersey, USA as my husband works
for Pfizer and was transferred over here.  We are enjoying life in the north eastern USA, but
the winters here are brutal, that is when we long for the hot African sun!

We have two daughters, Angela who is 18 and Sarah who is 16; they have adapted
remarkably well to life in the USA, going from a private all girls Catholic school to a co-ed
public American school!  We are trying to decide which university Angela should go to, there
are over 3000 to choose from.

I am working at Columbia University in New York doing research into the genetic cause of
epilepsy, I work part time.  I hope I will be able to come to Pretoria for the reunion. My
dearest/oldest friend Liz Beach (Nuttall) and I met last year when I was visiting SA, I visited
her on her farm in Natal, and I loved seeing her, Rob and their boys again.

My sister Jennifer Simons (McIntosh) and I will be attending the Old Girls Reunion on 12
July.  We are really looking forward to seeing all our old DSG friends again. I am flying all the
way from New York for this special 30th reunion! 

1978 Sue-Ann Maccara (Shearar) maccara@shaw.ca

We're planning a family trip to Europe in 2008, so I'm thinking I might just add a side trip to
S.A. too, I'm DEFINITELY planning on being there!!  For those of you who don't remember, I
left D.S.G. half way through our Matric year (after being there since Gr. 1!!!!!) and really regret
missing our Matric dance!!!!!
 
Great to hear from you all!  I have very fond memories of good old D.S.G.!
 
P.S. if you're ever out this way, PLEASE look us up, or better, come and stay with us!  We live
in North Vancouver Canada!

1978 Anne Morrison (Wyllie) amorrison@icon.co.za

I am still married to Terry (26 years later) and Danielle (21) has finished her BComm
Marketing degree at Stellenbosch.  I have been repping for Kapula Candles for six years and
really enjoy having flexi-time – and time to do my own thing (like play tennis!) 

1979 Valli van Zijl (Blaine) valli_vanzijl@hotmail.com

It always seems so strange, but comforting, sitting here in London (where I've been for 21
years) and receiving the updates on DSG. One day I will get to a reunion - perhaps for our
30th in 2009!

1979 Shan Townes (Fitzgerald) shantownes@isat.co.za

My life is very full. I work for my husband supposedly mornings only and then am "free" to
rush around with kids all afternoon. Samuel (8) is in Grade 3, Peter (6) is in Grade 1 and my
baby, Joseph (3) is at play school. Will definitely be at my 30th reunion next year!!

1980 Bridget O’Donoghue Bridget.ODonoghue@capetown.gov.za

My news is that I have had a 4th child - now 14 months old - a girl named Isla

1981 Colleen Steyn (Carrick) geoff-coll@clear.net.nz

Unfortunately I won't make the reunion, as I'm in NZ and it isn't a time when I can get away.  
I'm hoping once my son, who is currently in his second last year of school, finishes school, I'll
be able to sneak away for a bit of time in Pretoria.  My daughter (Danielle) is in her second
year of university studying BA in Classics, History and Greek, and son (Jacques) as said
above in his second last year of school - very sporty like his father, Geoff.   I work at the
school he is at as does my husband.  So it has been very much a family affair as our daughter
also went there.  We're planning a trip back in December 2008 for Danielle's 21st, and will be
stopping in Pretoria as we'd like to do a trip to the Game Reserve.  My family has all moved
from there and so the ties have been cut unfortunately, but I would love to catch up with
anyone around at that time.

1981 Caprice Barbour (Pettem) cpettem@shaw.ca

What bad timing on my part! Amber and I will actually be flying in to SA on July 5th but there
is a reunion of our village in Swaziland the weekend of the 12th.  We are hoping to stop into
DSG on the way to Swaziland to show our daughters (my only child (23) and Amber's oldest
(9)) the school on the way through. Have a great reunion.

1982 Melanie Mensing paul.language@beca.com

I must say we had a high standard of teaching at the DSG, and I often think of the teachers
and the fun times.  Where would be without all that background?  The teaching there changed
my life - it was inspiring.

1982 Jenny Godfrey (Barclay) jgodfrey@trcsolutions.com

I bumped into Viyonne Viljoen here in New Zealand just a few weeks ago at one of our ski
lodge functions and we spoke about all our old school friends of 1982 matriculation class.   I
have been living in New Zealand on and off now for 14 years.  I am still very busy and work
for a company in the US. I have worked full-time since leaving University.

1982 Anne van Blerk (Fair) mbizilodge@mweb.co.za

We are living in Warmbaths know running a resort.  We moved here from Pongola about 5
years ago.  Am still happily married, my son is 3rd year civil engineering at Tuks and my
daughter is in Matric.
1983 Sasha Scholtz (Melvill) sashamartin@imaginet.co.za

I see that you have left Margaret Scholtz off the 1983 list.  She is my sister in law and now
lives in Zim. Marion Hoole (Blaine) may be able to help you with Helen Harvey’s contact
details; she also lives in Kommetjie, CT, where Helen lives hooles@ct.stormnet.co.za

1985 Nicole Rosendorff (du Buisson) danjosh@mweb.co.za

We are emigrating to Canada in the next few months.

1986 Jen Hamilton-Browne jennyhb@vodacom.co.za

My son and I are planning to move to Australia in 2008, along with my parents to be with the
rest of my family. 

My battle against my brain tumour is ongoing and well I feel great actually. The pipe that runs
behind my ear through my chest is doing great and I and do not let it get me down or
depressed. Sometimes I lose my memory and I walk around with a note book so that I can
remember everything, even where I parked my car.  I forget Matt from school every now and
again but I have great friends who take him home for me.  You get used to it, but if I can teach
you only thing it is to live for today and cherish every waking moment.  I will not take chemo or
radiation; my life is just perfect the way it is and I just have to slow down. 

1986 Vanessa Ratcliffe Vanessa@southerndestinations.com

I got married (some would say finally!) to Nico Lombard in October.  It was a wonderful day
with the ceremony at St Peter’s church in Hermanus followed by a luncheon for 200 guests
plus 20 children (!) up in Fernkloof Nature Reserve. The weather played ball which was lucky
as it was a risky outdoor venue.  It was peak whale season and they really came to the
party….see pictures of us on the rocks with whales in the background!  DSG girls from class
‘86 who were there were Janet Anderson, Susan Malan, Jane Simmonds and Sharon
Hamilton.

I’m now in St Anton, Austria for the winter season.  Nico has seasonal businesses here.
Thanks to communication technology, I’m able to run my travel company (an inbound tour
operation to Southern Africa) from here http://www.southerndestinations.com and I go skiing
in my spare time of course!   I am trying to learn German too. I speak fluent French these
days, but that doesn’t get me very far here.

Other news to spread… is that the mosaic project that I founded in Hout Bay is finally
sustainable and they are working on orders for the States and Paris.  If any of you are
interested in mosaics and are in Cape Town and would like to visit the studio, please get in
touch.    There is a website:  www.mandelaparkmosaics.co.za

1986 Beverley Verster beverleyverster@hotmail.co.uk

Just a quick update to let you know that I have started a new job - back in IT! Had to do it as
the UK government has retrospectively changed their residence rules and I needed to earn
more money than the university was paying me in order to stay in the country! I've had a
VERY stressful year thus far! However, it all seems to be working out, as the new job,
although VERY challenging, seems quite enjoyable. I'm a business analyst at a company that
does commodities trading. The new location is lovely as the offices are in Oxford Street near
Marble Arch and Hyde Park. Hours are long though.

1987 Fiona Pienaar (Harris) fjpienaar@gmail.com

Sorry this reply has taken me so long, but two little bodies to run around behind takes its toll!
Jane Claire was born on 8 November - a whopping 4.5kg, and continues to do really well. She
is an incredibly easygoing little girl. Her big sister Imogen has taken a shine to her and is keen
to help - sometime too independent. Immy started school and loves it! I love my maternity
leave, although the list of things to do doesn’t seem to get any shorter!

1987 Shaakera Ismail sheraaz@mweb.co.za

A little bit of what I’ve done since leaving school.  I qualified as a medical doctor at Wits in
1993, with Mary Fair and Eva Johansen, Michele Hayward was a year behind us. I married a
colleague in my class and we are at present both General Practitioners in Private Practice in
Pretoria.   We took over my Dad’s massive practice and unfortunately he died in 2007. I live
in Laudium, have 3 children Irfaan aged 13, Raeesa aged 12 and our new addition Azhar
aged 13.

1987 Fiona O’Keane fiona.furey@hotmail.com

Wow, what a great surprise, I'm in Dublin, checked my emails to see what's happening at
work and found one from you! I visited Jenny Bridges in London a few days ago so am
assuming she forwarded my details on.

Jenny gave me an update on our class, it sounds like most are married with kids, while my
mom is still praying I'll get there, I'm not sold on the idea for myself. Juggling a career in TV
and one in Radio is more than enough to keep me busy. Who would have thought the one kid
who point blank refused to study or do sports at school would grow up to be the biggest work-
a-holic of them all who does triathlon's for fun?
Renee Jeannes and Simone Robinson are in Cape Town too. Both doing very well, Ren is a
homeopath, Simone works for the Rupert family as a chef. I will forward them both the news
letter and spreadsheet.

1987 Patricia Raphesu praphesus@thedti.gov.za

 
My name is Patricia Raphesu and I was at DSG from 1984 to 1986. I left when I was in Std 9
(1986) so my Matric class is 1987. I am in contact with Trish Stewart but would love to have
contact info of the old girls, especially Sonia Hutchinson (Matric 1987).

1987 Kate Whittingham-Jones katewhittingham-jones@hotmail.com

We're still living in Wiltshire, and both still at the same jobs.  If anyone is visiting the UK and
heading west, please do get in touch.  We are unlikely to be visiting SA this year as we have
a few "big" birthdays next year, so will be home for that.  I hope the reunion is as fun as it was
last year for our 20th – it was so good to meet up with everyone again.

1988 Jenny Tselentis (Hatzinikolaou) angelos@hermes-ship.com

I now have a daughter, Andrianna. She is 8 months old. My son, Pavlos, is 3 years old. I am
back from Athens and living in Umhlanga, Durban for the moment so I'm hoping to make it to
the reunion. I bumped into Ruth Spencer about a week ago (for those of you who remember
her). She is looking fantastic. She also mentioned she keeps in touch with Nicola Hornsby
who is married and living in Scottburgh in KZN. I have also been in touch with Shantelle
Rapier who lives in Kloof here and has two daughters who attend St Mary's in Kloof. We're
hoping to arrange things to all come to PTA together.

1988 Nicole Whittingham (Kirkley) nicole@wilson-cooke.co.uk

I am hoping to get to the 20 year reunion this year. It is so lovely to read and remember old
names and memories - especially things like cake - Emily and Francina. I have been living in
the UK since I matriculated. My husband and I live in Derbyshire with our three cats. We
work together just outside Manchester owning a full service marketing agency www.wilson-
cooke.co.uk. We have no children as yet, but are hoping to change that soon. I would really
like to get to the reunion this year and see some old faces.
 
My sister, Lindsay’s email address is lindsaykirkley@hotmail.com. We are both hoping to
come over in July, work permitting.

1988 Angela Rogers (Koopman) ajrogers@telkomsa.net

I will definitely be attending the Old Girls Reunion on Saturday 12 th July 2008 - looking
forward to it.

1988 Nomakhosi Skosana Nomakhosi_skosana@yahoo.com

Class of '88,
 
It would be so nice to see as many of you as possible at Reunion 2008......please make an
effort!

1988 Lynda Hall (Vickers) royhall6@bigpond.net.au

It has been great to get into contact with old school friends again and would love to hear from
you all and see some photos of you and your families.  My husband, Roy and I moved to Gold
Coast, Australia three years ago and we just love it. We have three children - Megan (11),
Nicole (9) and Mark (5).  They are three very busy active kids who have kept me on my toes
hence I have not worked for several years now. We spend a lot of time on the beautiful
beaches and Roy is a big fisherman so he just loves going out to sea and  is very relieved that
at least his son will go out with him.  We have become the biggest campers ever and spend
every holiday camping next to the sea.  The kids just love it making friends wherever we go. 
They lead hectic schedules (or should I say - I do) with sport after school so getting away is a
special time for us.  We have been lucky to have lots a family visiting us here in Oz, which
has been so special.  We went back to SA for Christmas in 2006 and hope to get back at the
end of this year again.  

1989 Kerrin Miller (Person) Kerrin@ananzi.co

Our update is that Paul and I became the over-the-moon parents of a little girl, Charlotte
Grace. I had her on 10 November 2007, and she was 3.8kg. Motherhood is overwhelming
and has changed everything! Charlotte is a gorgeous and very precious little girl!

1989 Melissa Williams melissagw@mweb.co.za

I am now working as a Project Manager for a company called Boness Properties.  We are
currently doing a development of eleven villas in Mauritius - (In fact I am here in Mauritius at
the moment).  I am involved in the marketing and sales of the project and it has been
incredible to see how many South Africans are looking at Mauritius as an investment
opportunity. (Perhaps there are some DSG old girls out there who might want to look at this -
We open in August 2008).
 
I am also working with the Amy Biehl foundation on a couple of projects, the most interesting
at the moment being a Children’s Juggling DVD, which is part animated and part live. This
has been an amazing project, which we have been doing with a Media Company that Boness
owns, and we are hoping to launch the DVD by the end of March to fundraise for the Amy
Biehl foundation. The DVD is an excellent tool for Children's motor skills / left-brain / right-
brain development etc.  It is also rather useful for management and team building.
 
Otherwise that's me - I'm dating a lovely man - still living in Cape Town.  Mum and Dad are in
Pretoria and my brother and sister in law are living in Cape Town.  I can't believe that our year
has been out of school almost twenty years.  Not sure where the years have gone - still feels
like yesterday.

1990 Rae Arnott (Gilbert) rae.arnott@telkomsa.net

I am living in Jhb and am a busy stay at home mom. I have two boys, Simon 5 and Jonathan
3 and a half. I saw Rachel (Briggs) last year May when I was in London with her two little
boys. I also see Angela (Chippy Barnetson) every week when we scrapbook together! I have
found quite a few friends on Facebook too.

1990 Lindsay Kirkley lindsaykirkley@hotmail.com

I'm living in England - Newcastle upon Tyne in the north east and I work for local government.
Director of Policy and Improvement, which means a lot of things...but basically, I'm
responsible for ensuring the effective running of the local Council. I attribute this great job to
my fantastic learning experience gained at DSG.

I have recently been in touch with Rae Gilbert from my year - we were meant to meet up in
the UK recently while she was on holiday here but unfortunately diaries did not permit. I
would love to hear regular updates from DSG. I've got to say, the eight years I was there were
the best.

1990 Mathoto Mashiane MMashiane@justice.gov.za

I obtained my Law Degree from the University of the Western Cape in 1995. I subsequently
obtained a Criminal Justice and Forensic Investigations Diploma from the University of
Johannesburg in 2005. I am a mother of a cute 7 year old son. I am currently employed at the
Department of Justice and Constitutional Development as Senior Forensic Auditor.

1990 Kim Vonk (Meyer) kjvonk@hotmail.com

Unfortunately I will be unable to attend Old Girls this year as after much consideration I and
family will be relocating back to the UK, after 18 months in Cape Town.  My husband has
gone ahead of myself and our boys.  We are headed for Bristol!
 
1990 Nikki Kemp (Millerd) a.kemp0@absamail.co.za
I left school and went to Rhodes University to study Human Movement Studies and followed
this with an HDE. During my final year a met the man I am now married to, Adrian Kemp. I
taught for 9 months at a school in Grahamstown and then was offered a franchise called
Playball (teaching children 2-7yrs life skills using sports as means). I have now been running
playball and coaching swimming for 11 years and still haven't left Grahamstown.

We have two children Devon (8) and Carina (6) who are the delight of our lives. Devon is in
grade 2 this year and I cannot believe how much they learn at such a young age.
I still keep in touch with Rae Arnott, Lyndall Hill and Carrie Wood.

1990 Assunta Dagon (Nusca) assuntanusca@yahoo.co.uk

Samuele, our 33 month old little boy is growing like a weed. He has quite the personality and
keeps us in fits of laughter. Bianca was born on September 6 so is approaching 6 months of
age. She is a very happy (and good) baby. We have just moved to Cleveland (Ohio) as
Michael just accepted a position at the Cleveland Clinic. The winters are long and harsh here,
but the city offers wonderful cultural activities and the people are very friendly. We hope to get
back to South Africa for a visit over Christmas, or soon thereafter.

1990 Anne-Marie Greiff (Wrogemann) lighthouse.annemarie@gmail.com

After 12, 5 years of corporate life, I have started my own business as a life coach. I have a
beautiful daughter Amy-Lee who is 2.5 years and two stepsons, Georges and Andrew.

1991 Carrie Woods (Patrick) cwood@istafrica.com

Craig and I are still living in Tanzania. Dar es Salaam, as its name suggests, is a haven of
peace. Despite the obvious challenges of living in a developing country we enjoy the tropical
climate and lifestyle that the town offers us. Weekends are full of sailing and exploring the
little islands around the coast. Ending a hard week having a sundowner at the yacht club
really helps one relax in a matter of seconds!

I am teaching in the International School which is keeping me out of trouble. I am in charge of

imparting knowledge to Grade 4 kids – who in turn keep me on my toes and in tune with the
latest gadgets and fads. I never thought I would enjoy teaching this age group and still at
times miss the energy and diverse minds of the teenagers.

Last year Craig and I experienced the joy of becoming parents. Caitlin Jenna Wood was born
in March and has been a delightful addition to our family. She is the socialite of the family
already and has the ability to charm anyone!

1992 Lize-Marie Britz (Binsbergen) lizemb@gmail.com

I will not be able to attend the reunion as my boys Justin 5 yrs and Jayden 3 yrs have their
birthdays then.

I have finished my B Pharm degree and after working in retail pharmacy have moved to do
contract work for Aspen Pharmaceutical at CSIR Pretoria. My husband is the Head of the
Narcotics unit for SAPS Pretoria.  My boys keep me very busy but I must say I enjoy them -
it's just a pity they grow up so fast.

1992 Gillian Kane-Berman (Boyce) gillykb@earthlink.net

Thank you for all the wonderful emails with all you news and photos! It is just wonderful to
hear from old friends again! So glad that everyone is doing so well! I got shock the other day
when I did the maths and realized that we matriculated 15 years ago – are we really that old
already?? Where has the time gone to? On a really hectic day I do long back to the simple
days in our blue (sexy) dresses with very little cares in this world. Now we are working, some
married, some with children – not so simple but WOW! Seems crazy!

Any way we are doing very well! My fantastic husband, Mark and I will soon celebrate our 9 th
wedding anniversary, yes married life is wonderful!! We have two amazing children – Thomas
is 8 and Carolyn 4 (almost 5) – between golf, karate, soccer, ballet, 1 st grade and preschool
we are very busy – never mind work and housework! We moved to San Diego California
(USA) over two years ago and have settled down so well here. We bought a beautiful home a
year ago, in a wonderful neighborhood. San Diego is just an awesome place to live, such a
beautiful city on the ocean with so much to do and see – we truly are blessed to have been
sent here by the nursing agency that relocated us! The weather is just awesome – never too
hot or cold (easier for South Africans to adapt to). We have made some wonderful friends and
are always very busy! We have a couple of good South African friends whom we met over
here and always have good parties/fun with them! Our children attend really fantastic schools
and are both just thriving (so cute with their American accents!). Mark started his own
company here in the US working in agriculture as he did back home – things were slow
initially but have picked up rapidly and he is doing very well – just has to travel a lot!

I am still working as a Nurse at a small but very good hospital, not too far from home. I am on
a medical/surgical/cardiac telemetry unit – very fast pace with very high acuity of patients. I
have learnt so much over here – continuing education is part of your career and the
opportunities to learn are endless. I was just nominated as Nurse of the Year at my hospital
and this is a great honour since I have only worked there 2 years! I do love being a nurse and
so enjoy my patients but the 12 hour shifts are long especially with two little ones and a
travelling husband. For this reason I studied last year and am now a Certified Legal Nurse
Consultant – I work with attorneys on medical related cases, it is very exciting and
challenging. I work independently from home which is awesome. I hope to grow my business
enough to be able to not have to work the long hospital hours! It is hard work getting a
business going but I am very motivated and excited – I have just recently started working on
my first big case!
Last year I had my first trip back to South Africa since we left. Mark travels back to SA every
3 – 4 months on business as he still has two companies back there.

We are really very happy living in the USA and have no regrets about the choice we made to
move – the opportunities for our children (and ourselves) are endless! We do miss our
families and friends but thanks to emails and webcams and telephones we are in constant
contact! We have also had a lot of visitors from home which is wonderful! If anyone ever
comes to the USA please look us up we would love to have you to stay!

1992 Jenny Walker (Bridges) walker_jenny@btopenworld.com

I have two little ones Jessica (3 ½ yrs) and Ashley (2 yr). It is so hard to believe that 15 years
ago we are all running around DSG and now we all have our own families and grown up lives
to run.
 
I have been living in London for the past 6 / 7 years. My Mom and Dad live in St Francis Bay
(Easter Cape) but have relocated for 6 months of each year to Dubai where my sister Sharon
and her two girls are based. My husband’s family are in Cape Town so we ideally would like
to relocate back to CT one day. The girls are registered for Hershel, St Cyprians and
Springfield, so watch this space.
 
I still keep in touch with Fiona O’Keane who is in Cape Town and producing documentaries
and still the very same. Her e-mail address is Fiona.furey@hotmail.com or she has a website
which has a contacts page on www.fionafurey.co.za I also hear from Jean Wilcocks (Mays)
who lives in Johannesburg and has Kirsten 5 yrs and Luke 18 months. She is a freelance
journalist to magazines.

1992 Alison Milne (Charlton) mogsie@intekom.co.za

For those of you that will remember them:  I see Julie Good (used to be Youens) regularly. 
She lives in Scarborough and I live in Noordhoek in Cape Town so we live relatively close
together.  Jules has a little boy, Matthew (turning 5 in December) and a little girl, Amy who is
almost 2. I have also been in contact with Carmen Beharrie (now Collison) via email who is
well and has a little girl of 9 (Savannah) and a little boy of 2 (Jarred).  Although Julie and
Carmen did not matriculate at DSG I am sure many of you remember them.

1992 Alouette Louw (Ernest) Alouett.Louw@dcs.gov.za

I am not much in touch our class, except of course for Carms. She and I speak to one another
quite often.

Anyway, I work for Correctional Services: Head Office in Pretoria and I am a Captain. I work
in HR. I have been in DCS for 11 years and still enjoying it, 6 years in prison and the rest in
the offices until I was pregnant with my eldest son, Braydon who is now almost four. The
“baby” is now two and believe me, with two boys that are 20 months apart, I am EXTREMELY
BUSY!!!!
1992 Cathy Maguire CathyM@discovery.co.za
I did a degree in Philosophy and English, but somehow migrated into the programming arena,
and am now a senior developer at Discovery Life (which is not at all what I anticipated
doing!!). I work with a lovely bunch of people. I still love my music and English though, and
sing in a choir, still play the viola, and read when I can (which is not always possible as
project deadlines sometimes get in the way). I’ve been thinking about doing my honours in
English part time to force me to keep up my reading.
 
I’m engaged to a very, very, very nice x (10 to power 3) German guy, who keeps me on my
intellectual toes as he reads an awful lot. His name is Ulrich. We haven’t set a wedding date
yet, but we have bought a house which took us absolutely ages to find – in Ferndale. It’s a
smallish house, but on a very big stand on a quiet road, so it feels like it’s in the country. It’s
also not too far from work.
 
I’ve not seen anyone for ages, aside from Paula, who I bump into occasionally as we both
currently live in Parktown North. She has the dearest little girl.
 
And I also bumped into Mmule’s father the other day. He said she was doing well, and is an
air hostess.

1993 Maryne Marais (Ferreira) ferreira.m@telkomsa.net

I have been back in Pretoria just short of three years after a long stint abroad and have often
wished I had a little girl to send to DSG. I even went as far as to call Grade 000, hoping they
take little boys! Although I shudder to think of the junior school echoing with the bellowing of
my sons. Believe me – they are like baby bulls. Calf is too gentle a word…..

1993 Angela Rautenbach (Jarrett) jarrett@ukonline.co.uk

I have read your old girls news with interest. I read it all the time but don't think I have replied
too often. I met a client the other day whose daughter went to DSG when they were in
Pretoria. I would love to come back and see the school. I am sure it will happen one day. I
hope that when Lukas and I have children that we can return to Africa. All continues well in
the UK for us and we are constantly blessed with the goodness of the Lord.
1993 Ursula Rietmann urshr@hotmail.com

This is the first bit of news I have submitted...not pregnant or engaged, but there is other
news: In July my bicycle, backpack and I are heading north to Europe. I will be travelling
around Holland, France, Germany and Switzerland for about two months, and then look for
permanent work, settle down etc.

For the past year and a half I have been working as a graphic designer at an advertising
agency in Woodmead, along with practically the entire Smith family (Kendel and Victoria) as
well as another DSG Old Girl Robyn Thompson!
1994 Claire Da Camara (Smith) Claire.Smith@target.com
My husband, Davide, my baby (Eric nearly 2) and I are enjoying living in America but we
really miss home.  We do plan to return in about 3 years.  I just hope all goes well with the
next elections.  I think that will help us in deciding what we want to do.   

1994 Deborah Harkness (Spencer) deboraheharkness@yahoo.co.uk

Two years ago my husband and I moved to Worcester, UK. I am working in a large co-ed
private school called the Royal Grammar School Worcester and Alice Ottley School (quite a
mouthful I know!) as a Biology teacher and from Jan 2009 I'll be running the department. The
exciting news is that on the 2 February 2008 I gave birth to a son, Harry. He is a very happy
chap and we have been having so much fun with him.
1995 Camilla Campbell (Garvey) Camilla.campbell@sgcib.com
Lindsey Hyson is engaged and will be Lindsey Velleman from April 2007; Gillian Hockley is
married but is keeping her maiden name. I also got married in October in South Africa and
had a whole table of old girls there to celebrate, which was wonderful. I am thrilled to see that
DSG is still a brilliant school.

1995 Hayley Griesel (Mahon) hayleygriesel@mighty.co.za

 
Here is a bit of an up-date on what has been happening in my life.  In 2003 I married the man
of my dreams Riaan Griesel.  I now have the most precious little girl, her name is Heike and
she is 3 and a half years old.

1995 Rebecca Smith rebeccaleasmith@doctors.org.uk

I have recently received some great news - I have been offered a post to specialise in
Anaesthetics in London. I am not sure if news of the fiasco known as Modernising Medical
Careers has filtered down into SA but medical training here has been in a state of chaos for
several months, and they have cut training posts dramatically so I am really thrilled at my
good luck.

I have been living on a small farm in Wales for the past year and working in the beautiful town
of Shrewsbury in Critical Care. It is really picturesque, the barn conversion I have stayed in is
built alongside the Shropshire Union canal and the land is filled with foxes and badgers. I am
still looking forward to returning to the bustle of London though!

Apart from that I am well, I have been training for the Territorial Army and it is good to feel fit
again. I am seeing a wonderful pilot from the RAF too, a classic Englishman!

1995 Ashleigh Pringle (Todd) Trevor@huetone.co.za

My little girl, Amy, is growing up so fast and we are starting preparations for her second
birthday!  I teach a few classes of ‘Moms and Babes’ every week and loving every minute.  I
bumped into Kerry Shaw last year.  She was a year behind me but left DSG at the end of
primary school.  It was amazing to see her again and a reminder of how small the world is.  
Her boyfriend, Dave, is a very good friend of ours from University.   

1996 Jenine Collocott jeninec@nfvf.co.za

I am sorry that I wasn’t able to make Reunion last year but I was in Durban in the final stages
of rehearsing my new play “Willy’s Ark” (which I wrote and directed) featuring Ellis Pearson.  It
was a very exciting opportunity for me, as you will, I’m sure, know Ellis is very well
established. I am currently Markets and Festivals Coordinator for the National Film and Video
Foundation.

Please find our proposal to bring vibrant moving and totally South African youth theatre to St
Mary’s DSG Pretoria.  I particularly would like to do this as my love for theatre started at DSG
– and when I arrived my English was so bad, but because of the patience and kindness of
Mrs Savage (for all her extra lessons), I am now a writer. 

1997 Lorin Gibbisonlorin@urbansolutions.co.za

After Matric, I spent a year at Cheltenham College in England (good fun!), and then settled
into some studying at UCT where I completed my undergraduate degree in Architecture in
2001. In 2004, I completed my Masters in Architecture at TUKS. Currently, I’m a practicing
Architect at Urban Solutions Architects and Urban Designers in Newtown Johannesburg. I
have been very fortunate in my career and had opportunity to work with many inspiring
people: early in my career, I worked with Ove Arup; a British based engineering company, on
developing sustainable design and construction solutions for the Built Environment. More
recently, I consulted to the Oprah Winfrey Foundation, on developing innovative solutions to
shape our villages and cities, so that we might better support the growing HIV Aids Orphan
crisis. When not at the office, I live with Paul, my boyfriend of 7 years, in Joburg. Yes, I'm still
playing squash!

1998 Simone Esau-Bailey simone@sun.ac.za

I am working on a variety of different research projects, which all focus on different aspects of
Science and Technology- at international, regional and national levels. Currently we're looking
at the scientific mobility of health scientists between the UK and South Africa. Last year I was
also involved in a twenty-two African country SandT system analysis, which was very
interesting.

1998 Kgomotso Moalusi mmalegae@gmail.com

I am writing to enquire as to what procedures need to be followed if we as class want to

donate money/a trophy/award to the school. This year is our 10th anniversary and we would
like to dedicate/honour one of our late classmates Matumelo Kakana.

1998 Thokozile Sefu thokozilesefu@yahoo.com

 
This is Thokozile Sefu an Old Girl from 1998. I am back in Malawi now working as Assistant
Front Office Manager at Sunbird Capital Hotel in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi.

1998 Irene Zirimwabagabo umuko@yahoo.com

Below is a brief update of what I’ve been busy doing since Matric!
 
1999-2002     Bachelor of Journalism  - Rhodes University, Grahamstown
 
2003-2004    Master of Arts in International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame, Indiana
 
2005-present  Program officer in charge of Communication, United Nations Development
Fund for Women (UNIFEM) - Kigali, Rwanda
 
I would love to attend the reunion, but that will depend on work commitments and ability to
travel at that time.

1999 Kate Binge kate@kdbstudio.co.za

I have sent you a link to a web page called designerid.com. It is an international network of
designers, where you can post your portfolio etc. They interviewed me and posted an article
they wrote up from the interview on their site at the following link if you are interested in taking
a squizz: http://www.designerid.com/interview.php?issue=11. If the link does not work, you
can go to www.designerid.com and click on interviews on the gray menu bar and then mine
will be first on the list. I don't know how long they post them for; probably a month. It went up
on the 1st of May. I'd appreciate it if you could forward this link to Mrs Knight, if she is still
teaching at DSG. I'm sure she'd be interested to see what's happened to an ex pupil of hers
who valued the art subjects so much.

I still run my own advertising and design studio, heading for nearly 3 years now. I have been
working on really great projects like the SAA Open Golf Tournament and Fifa Beach Soccer.
This year opened an avenue for me which I never expected to take and that which I
absolutely love. That is, I was requested to lecture 2nd year Visual Communication (Graphic
Design) at Vega JHB part time. So this I do for 5 hrs a week and really get a lot more out of it
than I ever imagined! I also joint venture with some South African business people, where we
equip entrepreneurs in their own businesses and teach them to create multiple streams of
income. This has been most exciting and has broadened my network hugely. 

1999 Millicent Mokubyane millicent@monitorsa.com

My name is Millicent Mokubyane – was only at DSG for two years but those were probably
the best two years of my life. I learned so much and would like to meet with people who
matriculated in 1999. I was at DSG 1992 and 1993 in Mrs Rodda’s class (I hope I remember
the surname correctly). My favourite teacher back then was Mrs Eden – she taught Maths for
Std 3 and 4.
2000 Leigh Solomon (Campbell-Atkins) s22078429@tuks.co.za
I am now living in Pietermaritzburg with my husband. Finished my medical degree last year
and am now working at Grey's hospital. I am really enjoying my job and living in the Midlands.

2000 Andrea Meyer (Lund) cafediva@gmail.com

Just wanted to let you know that I got married in March and my new surname is Meyer
instead of Lund! I am working at the State Theatre
2000 Victoria Moore VictoriaMo@africon.co.za

I am an Attorney now! I finished my studies at Tuks in 2004 (obtaining great results, a merit
award and a prize for the best student in civil procedure (law of the courts and the litigation
process) and then went on to do my articles at a firm in Brooklyn for two years (and within that
time attended law school and wrote my admission exams). I got admitted as an Attorney in
the High Court this February the 19th 2007 - a day hard worked for and well enjoyed!

I then decided to try something else, refused the offer to stay on at the Brooklyn firm, and got
a job as a legal advisor at Africon Engineering International in Hatfield! I have been at the new
job since March 2007 and am very fortunate to have a great boss and a fabulous company to
work for. I am also on the brink of purchasing my very own town house and am very excited!

2000 Elize Noel (Schoeman) elizeschoeman@yahoo.com

 
Just to give you some news. Richard and I got married on the 5th May. So my surname has
changed to Noel. We had such a lovely wedding and enjoyed every moment of it. It is one of
those rare times when the entire family is together.
 
We have just returned from honeymoon where we spent a blissful 10 days in Thailand. It was
so exciting to be travelling again and especially to such a stunning place in the world.
 
Rich and I are living and working in Tzaneen, and it is great to be so close to both our
families. Lina had a little boy on the 17 May and we are all so very excited to have a little baby
around.

2000 Laila Soer lady.laila.soer.@gmail.com

I graduated with my MSc at the end of 2007 and worked as an assistant lecturer for the first
four months of this year. I enjoyed the experience of standing on the other side of the
classroom, but a long-term career in teaching is not for me. I therefore decided to look at
other options – first doing research for the Dutch Agency of Environment and Planning (a
short and very intense 2-month contract); and after a long and difficult round of interviews I
eventually chose a job at a small environmental consultancy agency in Rotterdam. I was the
first young female consultant hired at the company and so I have literally stepped into a man's
world - but; so far so good! I love my work and have learned SO much over the last few
months; already having been given two of my own clients. I think I will definitely be happy
expanding my knowledge base at the local level for the next few years. After that I intend to
look for a more internationally oriented position and fulfil my dream to work with the
'developing' world (perhaps through the UN or EU).

I am still seeing my high-school boyfriend (from St. Albans); but no wedding plans just yet! It's
difficult with the logistics (families in Holland and South Africa... would be hard to please both
sides of the family, ha-ha). He has opened a pizzeria franchise and is slowly building a market
for his product. This year will hopefully see the rapid advancement of both of our careers!

Tabby is still studying and should be completing her bachelors at the beginning of next year -
we have planned a trip to Canada together in celebration thereof.

I am still struggling very much with my health from computer-related pain (repetitive strain
injury); I therefore sincerely hope DSG has done some research and is educating the girls
about good posture behind a computer and healthy time-management (taking regular breaks
from the computer, etc.) - PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE!

2001 Gill Bland gillbvdb@mcmotor.co.za

 
I studied directly after school. I did an Information Science Degree, where I majored in
Publishing, Information Science and English. I spent a few months in Cape Town in between
doing a DTP Diploma [Desk Top Publishing], which when simplified is layout, design and
editing programs that are computer based. I then did a couple of internships at media
houses. I eventually ended up in an advertising agency which gave me great grounding and
experience. From there I moved to McCarthy Volkswagen. I never thought I would ever end
up selling vehicles, but working for a company of this size gives you limitless opportunities as
well as the opportunity to excel in which ever direction you wish e.g. marketing, sales,
management and the list goes on.

2002 Dayle Marshall (Brookstein) dayle@syndicategraphics.co.za

I was married on 14 October 2007 and my surname is now Marshall, I am married to the
same guy that I was dating at school so many of my class mates should remember him.

I am working as a performance analyst for sport.

2002 Sombo Chinyama somboc@gmail.com

I am Sombo Chinyma, a very proud Old St Mary's Girl who was at the school from standard 3
in 1994 to Standard 7 in 1999.
 
I have lost contact of my friends since then and would love to know their whereabouts, as I
would really be happy to hear from them. I am now in Zambia and an Agriculture scientist by
profession.

I just want to thank the school for teaching me all the basics in life; it is through all that
education that made me who I am today. I would like to thank all my primary teachers, Mrs
Phillips, Mrs Farrell, Father Gill, Mrs Eden, Mrs Schaefer, Mrs Rodda and all those that
contributed to my well being. Please send regards to all of them if they are still there and try
and give me their email addresses for I would really love to communicate with them.

My elder sister also attended DSG, Kasweka Chinyama. She would love to get details of her
class mates as well - 2000 Matrics.

2002 Rochell de Waal rochelldw@googlemail.com

I just wanted to let you know that my email address has changed and I would love to still
receive all the old girls news! I myself am doing very well. I graduated in 2007 and am very
proud to say that I have an honours degree in cultural and heritage tourism! I have been
working in London Intercontinental Hotel in the guest services department and am returning to
South Africa in November 2007.
 
2007 Lesley Musto beeniez@hotmail.com

I will not be able to attend any old girls functions this year as I am overseas on my gap year
with Dagney Ellison, another Matric student from 2007.

News from former members of staff

Father Colin Paine cpaine@telkomsa.net

I was just doing some investigative stuff on the internet and don’t know how but stumbled
upon an Old Girls update and had a great time hearing about many of the girls that I knew
from DSG or had got to know when DSG girls attended the Youth Group at St Francis.

It was wonderful to hear how some were doing. Just to encourage you and the rest of the Old
Girls Committee that the effort and work is great and keeps the whole family together even
though they are all over the world.

Things in Knysna are good. Timothy is now in High School and Marion Grade 6. She is very
keen on her Art and getting lessons from Margaret Bolt. Louise is teaching at a Pre School for
Knysna Primary, called Little Elephants. As for me I am still getting grey, plenty work at St
George’s Church but really am enjoying the parish.

Sister Deirdre Michael noviceguardian@csmv.co.uk

My new e-mail address is noviceguardian@csmv.co.uk. I also have a different phone

number, 01235 763141 Ext. 213.

The changes come out of the fact that, after nearly thirteen years, I have handed over the
care of our Oblates to Sister Elizabeth Jane and I am now concentrating on looking after the
Novitiate (having run both in tandem for eighteen months). In place of the Oblates, I have
been asked to look after the Community Archives, which of course go back to our foundation
in 1848! Among other aspects of the work, this involves making archives available for
scholars who are engaged in various forms of research, and I have had three in the first
fortnight of doing the job! Life in CSMV is never dull!

Penny Baillie (News from Angela)

Mum is very well and she is now living with Brigette in Saxonwold. She has started an art
studio there and it is growing quite nicely. She also takes art groups to Kei Mouth for
sketching holidays and has been involved in the Webber Wentzel Bowens Art Competition for
under-privileged children. We of course love having her near to us and she is a real ‘hands-
on-granny’ (or should I say, Granny Frog).

Sue Daffon (Harris) sue_d4@hotmail.com

Sue Daffon (Harris) is alive and well and loving teaching at St Alban's College! Yes, I still
referee their Inter-House gala, I think most of the boys wonder why the old tannie is blowing a
whistle madly and disqualifying them and then someone explains this is what she used to do
in the good ole days! I am teaching English and am also Director of Activities, this latter
leading to a Choir Tour to the World Choir Olympics in Austria this year - quite a far cry from
sports tours!

Kelly presented me with a beautiful grand-daughter in November 2007, Tayla Jade and a
besotted Nana I am! Kelly has her own Biokinetics practice in Broadacres, Johannesburg and
works closely with Nikki van Broembsen, who has also just delivered a baby girl.
Tara will complete her Masters degree in August and is planning on registering for her
Doctorate. Her speciality is Criminology; Juvenile Sex Offenders are the basis of her thesis,
so life is very interesting as far as research goes. Tara now lives in her own house, but visits
me often.

So in all we are doing well and I often visit DSG for various functions. It is good to be in touch
with a number of Old Girls via Facebook. Love to all who may remember us.

Isabel Forbes issyforbes@mweb.co.za

Girls I am on line! You are all so often in my thoughts it would be nice to hear from you and
get your news.
 
I left DSG at the end of 2004 and went back into the business world as an Estate Agent.
I wrote my exams at the age of 64 - how about that.  It’s tough out here but I have done well.  

I live in Groenkloof near the University in a flat on the 5th floor overlooking Harlequins and
I just love this area.   My home number is 012 346 1754 and my cell 082 265 1298.
 
It was such a privilege to share in all of your lives and I enjoyed my job at DSG.   It was like
living with a huge family.
 
I send you my best love and every good wish for the future.   Take care of yourselves. You
are so precious to me!!!!!!
It is with great sadness that we report the deaths of the following Old Girls and former
members of staff:

1936 Sylvia Wright (Cameron) 14 October 2006

1946 Audrey Lachenicht (Alton) 13 August 2006
1950 Sarah 'Sally' Mary Sampson 25 November 2007
1954 Elizabeth Perrott (Coleman) 25 May 2007
Sister Margaret Elizabeth 17 April 2008 aged 81
Marie Kingwill November 2007

Mail has also been received from the following:

1936 Joan von Rudloff (Zorn) mwdonivr@mweb.co.za

1940 Dot Boyack (Mathews) dboyack@absamail.co.za
1947 Rosemary Young (Dyer) rosemart@irenevillage.com
1947 Mairead Williams (Macdonald) Mairead@zanet.co.za
1950 Pam Shearar (Bush) pamalan@intergate.ca
1950 Stella de Villiers (Mathews) pf_sdv@iafrica.com
1952 Margie Couper (Mortimer) margcouper@intekom.co.za
1953 Phyll Coombes (Radcliffe-Brown) coombes@cqnet.co.au
1954 Ann Bainbridge (Greenway) annabb@tiscali.co.za
1954 Islay Hall (Retief) islatretief@gmail.com
1955 Renee Hoch (Allwright) hoch@icon.co.za
1955 Jean Reynolds (Hall) storky@lantic.net
1957 Iona Reed (Fenwick) bullrushes@worldonline.co.za
1957 Helen Kirkpatrick eslmorris@gmail.com
1957 Sandra Tarlie (Martin) starlie@global.co.za
1957 Elizabeth White (Stahl) tablefarm@eastcape.net
1958 Sally Miles (Boustead) milesnz@reap.org.nz
1958 Elaine Jupp (Calameyer) peterj@border.co.za
1958 Felicity Lacey (Gaff) felicitylacey@sourcecable.net
1958 Wendy Torborg (Liddell) wendytorborg@vodamail.co.za
1958 Liz Bron (Pocock) ebronn@intekom.co.za
1958 Marian McCartney (Vickery) t.mccartney@zoom.co.uk
1959 Verity Murray (Leith) james@emm.com.au
1959 Kaye Oelmann (McWilliam) koelmann@iburst.co.za
1959 Denise Silver (Peek) silver@worldonline.co.za
1959 Julia Knight (Simpson) knightsart@shaw.ca
1959 Gillian Kruger (van der Veen) gilliankruger@vodamail.co.za
1960 Sharon Baldrey (Macaulay) rolshaz@eftel.net.au
1960 Derryn Hurry (Powell) derryn@gmail.com
1961 Melanie Dunkels (Taverner) m.dunkels@blueyonder.co.uk
1962 Cynthia Anderson (Carman) Cynthia.anderson45@googlemail.com
1962 Monica Kenny (Grant Mackenzie) Kenny.monica.@googlemail.com
1962 Penny Gawith (Kossuth) tobyg@ski.co.uk
1963 Biddy Pretorius (Pierce) pretoriusb@stalbanscollege.com
1964 Trevlyn Gregson (Creed) trevlyng@eject.co.za
1964 Kaye McOustra (Hulley) KayeMcOustra@aol.com
1964 Marie Vlok (Marloth) marie.vlok@medreg.co.za
1965 Pat Leman (Cronje) patl@nicd.ac.za
1965 Catherine Simpson (Gordon) fraserss@telkomsa.net
1965 Quinnie Chan (Kwan) mfhoon@tiscali.co.za
1965 Pippa Corte (Pank) pippacorte@mac.com
1965 Jill Grieveson (Rumbelow) Jigricom@aol.com
1966 Gill Goodall (Ayres) gillgoodall@iburst.co.za
1966 Jill McKrill (Cochrane) niccirae@iafrica.com
1966 Prue Wimble (Martyn) daveprue@mweb.co.za
1966 Adee Varney (Pfundt) adee.home@mweb.co.za
1966 Joan Schnell (Pickard) allenjoan@eject.co.za
1966 Janet Greger (Lisbey) janet@riken.co.za
1966 Sylvia Pharaoh (Thornton) slp@intercare.co.za
1966 Jean Nixon (Webb) rnix2081@bigpond.net.au
1967 Jenny Theron (Boyack) theroncj@xtra.co.nz
1967 Carla Burdzik Carla.Burdzik@uct.ac.za
1967 Margot Chamberlain (Cheeseman) chambies@fhchamberlain.co.za
1967 Jenny Ireland (Ellis) pireland@iuncapped.co.za
1967 Mary Frost (Goodall) maryfrost@telkomsa.net
1967 Linda Stevenson (McGregor) lindastevenson@telkomsa.net
1967 Sue Ross (Nupen) ross@futurenet.co.za
1967 Jennifer Robinson (Stacey) duroilab@mpu.co.za
1967 Bev Draper (Tindall) bevdraper@iafrica.com
1967 Madge Wulfsohn (Venter) madge@lionel-motors.co.za
1967 Valerie Fenwick (Wright) valfen@global.co.za
1968 Lesley Tweedley (Lumley) Lesley@copymart.co.za
1968 Jenny Troxler (Pope) jennyt@jse.co.za
1968 Liz Hardin (Steveni) ehn@mibss.co.za
1969 Brenda Greenway (Bassett) greenway@global.co.za
1969 Rose Clarke hichase@dbn.stormnet.co.za
1969 Diana Mowlam (Ellis) diana.mowlam@thegateworldwide.com
1969 Rose Clarke (Murray) hichase@dbn.stormnet.co.za
1969 Iowena Mackenzie (Smedley-Williams) ejmackenzie@isat.co.za
1969 Jane Langham (Steveni) jlangham@hotmail.co.uk
1969 Sally Currin (Trennery) scurrin@icon.co.za
1970 Sue Peiser suepeiser@fundraising.co.za
1970 Caroline van Niekerk (Rodseth) caroline@mweb.co.za
1970 Yvonne Shobbrook (Trollope) vonyhome@telkomsa.net
1971 Lindy Grobler (Viall) lindy401@gmail.com
1972 Eldene Mason (Braak) Eldene@braaks.com
1972 Gill Rademeyer (Crouch) gill@cliffdekker.com
1972 Sheila Davis sheilajill@webmail.co.za
1972 Jessie Kirkness Parker jessiekp1@yahoo.com
1972 Jane Munro (Watson) jrmunro@mweb.co.za
1977 Gigi (Russell) Chippindall gigi@ctcplant.co.za
1973 Anne van Oudtshoorn (Forbes) vana@ljbc.wa.edu.au
1974 Cathy Brennon (Winckworth) bren@yebo.co.za
1975 Debbie Heron (Botha) heronpd@xtra.co.nz
1975 Karin Barclay (Bousfield) khbarclay@iburst.co.za
1975 Liz Williams (Cox) tilted@iafrica.com
1975 Michelle de Souza (de Villiers) info@greenlands.co.za
1975 Moira Devenish moiradev@hotmail.com
1975 Carol Timkoe (Fung) carol.timkoe@tigerbrands.com
1975 Isabelle Handley (Looringh van Beeck) ihandley@webmail.co.za
1975 Carolyn Sullivan (Reich) Carolyn.Sullivan@ogilvy.co.za
1975 Meg Woodhouse (Seton-Jones) megwoodhouse@hotmail.com
1975 Janine Volschenk (Vercueil) jvolsche@jppza.jnj.com
1976 Darrell Farrow (Creighton-Jones) farrow.darrell@gmail.com
1976 Paula Dell (Musto) paula.dell@strachans.co.zw
1977 Pippa La Cock (Alexander) lacocka@absamail.co.za
1977 Belinda Remane (Berg) Belinda@sggs.co.za
1977 Cindy Crichton (Blaine) promsup@sws.co.za
1977 Terry Soutar (Daniels) terry@classicarms.co.za
1977 Jeanne Tate (de Villiers) tatejm@telkomsa.net
1977 Sue Lankers (Impey) slankers@lantic.net
1977 Julia Strydom (Meintjes) juliam@icon.co.za
1977 Jill Randall (Nothard) jrpromotions@smartchat.net.au
1977 Althea Broodryk (van Zyl) broodryk@iafrica.com
1977 Bev Carter (West) zardoz@y.co.za
1978 Jane Doherty doherty@telkomsa.net
1978 Lesley Lange (Heunis) llange@mweb.co.za
1979 Cathie Bruno (Jones) cathie.bruno@international.gc.ca
1979 Innes Zeltmann (Reich) inzelt@aol.com
1979 Carol Webber webbs@telkomsa.net
1980 Carolyn Illes (Barclay) Pilles@optusnet.com.au
1980 Catherine Titford (Jacobs) titfords@hotmail.co.uk
1980 Jo-Anne Flack (Walker) joanneflack@joanneflack.plus.com
1981 Chantelle Hurford 31000566@icon.co.za
1982 Cynthia Kelly (Berg) cdkelly.2102@gmail.com
1982 Jessica Ainsworth (Greathead) jlaexpress@yahoo.co.uk
1982 Viyonne Smit (Viljoen) vsmit@spacestudio.co.nz
1982 Di Woodward dianne@vizicomm.co.za
1983 Jennifer Boyd (Davison) Boyd-davison@telkomsa.net
1983 Janet Szabo (Gill) cavszabo@netactive.co.za
1983 Sasha Scholtz (Melvill) sashamartin@imaginet.co.za
1985 Karin Basel Kebasel6@absamail.co.za
1985 Emma Cooper (Raikes) emscoops@telkomsa.net
1985 Tracey Bahlmann (Symons) tracey@mfincibahlmann.co.za
1986 Julia Richardson (Bourhill) julia_bourhill@yahoo.com
1986 Gillian de Haan gillian.de-haan@ubs.com
1986 Anna Harris anna-harris@loskop.co.za
1986 Debbie Valente (Howard) howdebbie@mweb.co.za
1986 Jane Jordi (Simmonds) janejordi@mweb.co.za
1987 Michelle Weis (Brink) michele@wildcoast.co.za
1987 Lorna Carter info@funkymonkeys.co.za
1987 Mary Atkinson (Fair) mary.atkinson@roche.com
1987 Kate Griffiths katebgriffiths@btinternet.com
1987 Bernadine (Giantsos) Harries Bgiantsos@aol.com
1987 Fiona Pienaar (Harris) fjpienaar@gmail.com
1987 Beth Edge (Helps) Eedge@anglogoldashanti.com
1987 Sarah Malan (Kelsey) SarahM@telkomsa.net
1987 Paula Dawson (Rogers) mwadg@mweb.co.za
1987 Lisa Mc Namara (Scott) lisa@childmag.co.za
1987 Carolyn Wyly (Simkins) carolinew@tiscali.co.za
1987 Trish Harris (Stewart) trish-harris@hotmail.com
1987 Anne Studdert Anne.studdert@db.co.za
1987 Chebel Marupen (Waterson) ChebelM@Tshwane.gov.za
1987 Kathleen Whittingham-Jones katewhittinghamjones@hotmail.com
1988 Angela Schaefer (Barnetson) chip@trafalgar.co.za
1988 Angela van Vuuren (Bailiie) angela@gaintech.co.za
1988 Georgie Morris (Dunning) georgiemorris@hotmail.com
1988 Shilpa Gokal shilpagokal@hotmail.com
1988 Nichola Crookes (Hornby) nix@absamail.co.za
1988 Olive Ndebele (Pilane) olive@lifestylecom.co.za
1988 Nomakhosi Skosana nomakhosi_skosana@yahoo.com
1989 Fiona Watt (Barnetson) FionaWa@Nedbank.co.za
1989 Preena Jhina preena@sunadvisory.co.za
1989 Leanne Kelly leannekelly@mweb.co.za
1989 Gwen Mahuma gwenm@dywidag.co.za
1989 Fay Mukaddam fay@abafazigroup.co.za
1989 Karine Trollip (Steyn) kbtrollip@mweb.co.za
1990 Sarah Petersen (Atkinson) cpetersen@bigpond.com
1990 Alexandra Wanliss (Cownie) alexwanliss@gmail.com
1990 Celine Cruse (Snoeck) celinecruse@mweb.co.za
1990 Kgomotso Pooe Kgomotso@nlb.org.za
1990 Lynda Shackleford shacklly@tiscali.co.za
1990 Kathryn Sherriff (Pinkney) pksherriff@zamtel.zm98
1990 Jacki Tsepe (Storom) jacqui@lerangconsulting.co.za
1991 Carmen Luck (Edgar) CARMEN.LUCK@sky.com
1992 Jenny Walker (Bridges) walker_jenny@openworld.com
1992 Alison Milne (Charlton) mogsie@intekom.co.za
1992 Kirsten Hulley-Miller Kirsten@kavinga.co.za
1993 Sian Davies siandavies@webmail.co.za
1993 Jane Razwiedani (Masango) jane.razwiedani@dha.gov.za
1993 Lauren Ponting lauren@clinicaldietitians.co.za
1993 Mashudu Rambao Mashudu.Rambao@sita.co.za
1993 Mienkie Etcheverrigaray (Roodt) metcheverrigaray@deloitte.fr
1994 Amy Blaine amy@vharch.co.za
1994 Tracey Sydenham (Hulse) sydenhamtracey@yahoo.com
1994 Claire da Camara (Smith) dacamaracv@hotmail.com
1994 Mariam Cassim (Tayob) mcassim@richesterfoods.co.za
1995 Zaziwa Manaway (Dlamini) zazdlamini@afr.ko.com
1995 Lndsey Hyson lindsey.hyson@gmail.com
1995 Portia Carpede (Mokgwatsane) Portia.carpede@gmail.com
1995 Nicky Wulfsohn NicoletteWulfsohn@woolworths.co.za
1996 Tyne du Toit (Eden) tdutoit@abbotts.com
1996 Anna Jessup anna.jessup@yahoo.com
1996 Gaelle van Dyk (Koekemoer) gaelle@salamax.co.za
1996 Julia Nupen jnupen@truworths.co.za
1997 Marisa Boxshall-Smith boxsmi@realnet.co.sz
1997 Tessa Hempson thempson@gmail.com
1997 Gopolang Ngale-Lekgetha go_po_lang@hotmail.com
1997 Ann Mokgwatsane ann.mokgwatsane@rmb.co.za
1997 Basi Ndlovu    basindlovu@gmail.com
1997 Andrea Patrick apbio@mwebbiz.co.za
1997 Taryn Roets taryn.roets@za.ey.com
1997 Nicola Templeton (Sceales) nicky_templeton@hotmail.com
1998 Debbie Early O’Rourke d_a_early_orourke@hotmail.com
1998 Ingrid Pieterse (Lilje) neil.pieterse@siemed.co.za
1998 Dodosie Maelane dmaelane@webmail.co.za
1998 Hlami Ndlovu hlami@fikile.co.za
1999 Juliet Baillie jddbaillie@yahoo.co.uk
1999 Sheryl Smithies sherylsmithies@yahoo.co.uk
2000 Hayley Lombard (Cauvin) hayleylombard@gmail.com
2000 Kirsten Dinnes dinnwdkt@mweb.co.za
2000 Veronika Gloeck gessigie_vg@hotmail.com
2000 Marla Loubser marlaloubser@yahoo.com
2000 Zaza Mtshali pzaza@hotmail.com
2001 Andrea Bristow andrea.bristow@gmail.com
2001 Sarah Hansen sarah.hensen@kpmg.co.za
2001 Christina Philippeos cphilippeos@gmail.com
2001 Tamaryn Redfern tammy@exlusiveamenities.co.za
2001 Marilet Harris (van der Merwe) mariletharris@telkomsa.net
2001 Leanne van Breda leannevanbreda@hotmail.com
2002 Meagan Cronin meacro@webmail.co.za
2002 Motlatji Ditodi mditodi@hotmail.com
2002 Harriet Etheridge harreth@hotmail.com
2002 Nonkululeko Lukhele nonkz62@hotmail.com
2002 Bronwyn Mackenzie Bronwyn_mackenzie@hotmail.com
2002 Ringi Ndlovu ringindlovu@gmail.com
2002 Raine Parker parker_raine@yahoo.co.uk
2002 Dohane Steyn dohane@cardirect.co.za
2002 Katherine Walker Katherine@healthbridge.co.za
2003 Nizha Almec nizha.almec@gmail.com
2003 Celine Baudin missbaudin@hotmail.fr
2003 Lisa Daniel Elizabeth.Daniel@lmt.co.za
2003 Nicole Driver nixtoygp@yahoo.com
2003 Tamith Hattingh tamithh@gmail.com
2003 Dineo Maboe dmaboe@gmail.com
2003 Kele Scheepers control4panther@yahoo.com
2003 Julia Marcjanek (Scheffer) youlia@iafrica.com
2003 Christelle van Vuuren mildlymyself@gmail.com
2003 Melissa von Berg mvonberg@gmail.com
2004 Jo Dixon jo.dixon@hotmail.com
2004 Naledi Makoena n.mokoena@hotmail.com
2004 Mpho Rambau morambau@hotmail.com
2005 Cassandra Bruce-Brand BRCCAS001@uct.ac.za
2005 Danielle Swart danielle@sircap.co.za
2006 Daniella Panaino dpanaino@gmail.com
2006 Roshni Patel rhpatel@purdue.edu
2007 Marie-Francine de Villiers mariefrancinedevilliers@gmail.com
2007 Neo Masoek n.masoek@gmail.com
2007 Mbali Mngomezulu mbali69@gmail.com
2007 Lindsay Walker walker.lindsay@hotmail.com

Final note from Jeanette van der Breggen

Many thanks to the many people who have written over the last twelve months! I wish that I
could have answered them all individually, but although it is seven years since I “retired” from
DSG, my life seems to be even busier. It has been wonderful to receive all your news and to
hear about the great things that you are achieving in your lives.

The first news that I want to share with you refers to an email that I sent out on 16 January
2008, asking if anybody had lost a jewellery box. A gentleman from Cape Town wrote to me
saying that he had found a jewellery box on Table Mountain and in it were two Patrick
badges, a centenary medallion from 1979, a School Council badge, two swimming medals
and a bracelet with the name Helen on it. He subsequently found a second box. Two weeks’
later, I received a letter from Helen Holtes (Newham) 1980 saying that she had been to collect
her jewellery which included a string of pearls that had been given to her by her parents! Just
shows you what a fantastic network you have built up.

The second piece of news, for those who will be receiving this letter by post, is that on 15
June, Audrey Schoeman, Head Girl 1993, will be running the Comrades Marathon in aid of
Irene Homes. We have already received some generous donations towards Audrey’s brave
venture and she has been registered as Audrey on www.backabuddy.co.za so that it will be
easier for you to make a contribution wherever you are in the world. Audrey is coming all the
way from Ireland to complete Comrades and we wish her the very best of luck as she
continues with her training.

Many of the ‘more mature’ Old Girls will remember that our beloved CSMV Sisters ran Irene
Home for many years. It is worth visiting Irene Homes’ website at www.irenehomes.co.za to
read about the wonderful work that is being done there.

The lunch for Sister Robb for her 70th birthday went off very well and she was thrilled with
your lovely messages. I will try to put some photos on the DSG web-site.

Please continue to send in your news. If you do not want it to be printed in the newsletter, let
me know! The problem is that many of you are too humble about your achievements, but we
want you to know how proud we are of you by sharing the news! I wonder how many of you
know that Gail Kelly (Currer) 1971 became the first female CEO in the top fifteen companies
in Australia and is the mother of four children including triplets.

We look forward to seeing many of you at Reunion. We really appreciate the hard work that
some of you are putting into make a success of your special year celebrations.