(4 October 1940 – 22 April 2017)
A quiet gentleman has left us.
Howard attended Pretoria Boys High from 1954 to 1957 when he matriculated: he was a boarder in Solomon House for those years. He passionately loved the school and revisited it whenever possible. He loved wandering around the grounds and buildings, reminiscing happily about the various teachers, sports, friendships and funny stories that populate any memories of school days. He fondly attended his various anniversary dinners: what an emotional day the 40th anniversary was, with the school assembly and singing of the school song: Forty years on. After the weekend’s activities, he insisted on visiting Mr Abernethy, headmaster for all of Howard’s years at the school. Mr Abernethy was by that time very frail and weak but responded with some joy to being visited by a past pupil. This was a mark of the man who was Howard – that he took the time to remember others, always! He also spent a night sleeping back in his old dormitory in Solomon House with several of his peer group – how many past pupils have taken the trouble to do that? – something to tell the grandchildren!
Howard qualified as a chartered accountant from Wits University and worked in auditing for some years. He moved into commerce where for a time he was Financial Director of Hollosec, within the Robor group. He left there to move into a family-related business and finally, as a post-retirement position, ran the bursar function at a school for some twelve years. In spite of increasingly poor health, these twelve years were probably his happiest working days as he loved the gentle school environment and the people, while still finding scope to use his many years of financial expertise.
He married Susan Yorke in 1972 and was the doting father of two charming daughters: Kim and Ceri Lee. Both girls made him proud with their careers and have given him four delightful grandchildren. Visiting them in Cape Town and England was a wonderful excuse to travel. In fact, it was during a trip to Cape Town that his health finally declined and he was admitted to ICU in a hospital in Tokai, where he died. Howard suffered a significant heart attack in 1991. Medical science, wonderful doctors and Howard’s pure determination pulled him through, although he struggled with the after-effects for the rest of his life. In spite of medical opinion at the time, and a significant number of CCU stays and heart procedures, he enjoyed to the full a further 26 years of very meaningful life. He bore his health problems privately and stoically and was always intent on keeping up with his family.
Howard loved sport: he played rugby and cricket at school. Post-matric he joined Potch Old Boys Hockey Club and later, Fairmount Tennis Club. As his health declined, he was forced to become a passive sport-watcher – he did that avidly, from cricket to rugby and many others and especially enjoyed watching his grandson play hockey, cricket and soccer. He loved anything to do with the sea and enjoyed fishing and traipsing over any ships he could, from Simonstown to London and Edinburgh. No holiday was complete without a visit to any harbour within reach. He had a deep interest in matters of history (the family always felt he had missed his vocation: he should have studied History and moved into academia) and was always keen to enter debate about battles, discoveries and simply anything to do with the Romans. He and Sue lived in the UK for eighteen months – a feast of Roman investigation!
In preparation for a very delayed retirement, Howard and Sue bought a tiny caravan with the intention of exploring South Africa. Sadly, his time was too short to achieve more than six happy trips.
Howard was a very special person, as family and friends will attest. He was first and foremost a gentleman. He was honest beyond any doubt and had a work ethic that any would admire. His integrity was beyond dispute and his endurance was an example to all. Once he started an undertaking, he saw it through at whatever cost.
Howard will be so missed by all he leaves behind. He was proud of PBHS and the school can be proud to have had him as a pupil.
Sue Soulsby, Kim Soulsby, Ceri van Rensburg and grandchildren