Kenneth Ralph Hultzer was born on 28 May 1937 in Umtata. He spent his younger years in Zambia and Pretoria, later attending Pretoria Boys High, about which he was always happy to remind us that “there is no better school for young men.”
He exceled at sports such as hockey, baseball, rowing (nickname OX) and fishing, with scouting adding to the mix. He studied Mining Engineering at Wits, and worked briefly at Rustenburg Platinum mines. Unfortunately his mining career was cut short when he had a horrific accident on his scooter being run over by a truck, breaking most of the larger bones in his body and leaving him damaged for life.
Six months of operations and rehabilitation left him with the prognosis of never being able to walk again. However, in true Ralph style, he had his own opinion on the issue and regained his ability to walk, though never to run. So, it was goalkeeper and less arduous activities for him from then on.
As his mining career was over, he switched to education with a focus on his passion for mathematics and science. While an intellectual by nature, Ralph had a very practical side. Learning to sail for example, involved a detailed study of the sport, the rules, the tactics and the mechanics of sailing from many books before going on the water. Then, naturally, he had to build his own boat! This in turn required new skills which needed to be studied and then applied and so it went on. It was not unusual to find a boat or some other woodwork project in the lounge being painted as “this is the best place to get a good final finish.” His wife Frances eventually put an end to this and Ralph had to build a workshop of his own and leave the lounge alone.
His career in education took him as a young teacher to Cape Town at Settlers High School and then on to East London where he was the head of the math department and the deputy headmaster at Hudson Park High School. In Mduntsane, he was headmaster of a state of the art computer assisted math school funded by the Israeli government to improve and uplift mathematics in the then Ciskei. This involved improving both the students’ skills as well as the math teachers’.
Throughout his career he continued his studies and finally read for his masters in education at the University of Keele in the UK, funded by the British Council.
Ralph took early retirement with Frances to Hermanus where he engaged in woodworking, fixing things, calling Bingo to the delight of all, tutoring math to a couple of very lucky school students and lots and lots of fishing. Nothing brought a smile to his face faster than fishing.
While in his later years, he found it very difficult to get around with his broken body he could still be seen fishing from a chair, covered in dust on a stool, fixing or making something for someone or playing carpet bowls from his wheelchair.
Ralph passed away on 23 October 2025, leaving his wife Frances, daughter Karen, son Mark, grandson Kyle, nephew Ryan and countless young lives and friends that he influenced throughout his life.
Rest in peace Dad, thanks for all the memories – written by his son, Mark.