Rolf passed away peacefully in the company of his beloved wife Hycie on Monday morning as she was about to take him to dialysis. He had been struggling with renal failure for the past 18 months or so. Rolf grew up initially in Bloemfontein but moved to Pretoria in 1953 when his parents divorced and he moved with his mother, brother Louis (class of 57) and sister Toekie to Pretoria. He attended Brooklyn Primary school in grade 6 and 7 before entering Boys High in 1955 and by all accounts thoroughly enjoyed his time there. In his matric year he was a prefect and the hooker for the schools first XV rugby side. He was also a swimmer of some note and an excellent musician. He played mainly, on the piano but had an excellent ear for music and many people have been regaled by him playing on his harmonica. Rolf was a good all around sportsman and enjoyed all that the school could offer him.
After school he went to the navy and then to Wits Tech where he studied optometry. He moved back to Bloemfontein and became a pillar of the community there. He was a respected and well like optometrist. He became a very keen golfer and was still very involved and playing good golf well into his 70’s. His highlight may well have been the hole-in-one recorded on the Bloemfontein Golf course 16th hole. He was very involved Rotary in his younger days and was involved in numerous social groups in the city. He led a full and interesting life which included for a time having his private pilots license.
His great joy though was always his family. He was a tremendous husband to Hycie for 57 years and had three beautiful, loving children. Karen, his oldest, who is a lawyer in Cape Town; Charl who followed in his fathers’ footsteps and is an Optometrist in Cape Town and Jackie a teacher in Pretoria. He also has 6 grandchildren who brought him a great deal of pleasure.
My own experience of him was framed by the connection we had through the school. When I started dating his daughter she went home and told her father she was seeing someone. He asked what I did for a living and was intrigued when told I taught at Pretoria Boys. Things improved further for me when she said I had also attended the school and our relationship was secure when she affirmed that I was happy to play golf.
Rolf was a committed Old Boy with a great love of his Alma Mater. When Mr Schroder sought to engage more with the Old Boys, Rolf was happy to organise the Old Boys gatherings in the Free State and would regularly have 15-20 old boys attending a function before the schools fixture against Grey College in the early 2000’s. He also didn’t miss an opportunity to attend his reunions and made it to his 40,50 and 60 year on. At the latter he was one of about 20 Old Boys from his class who attended in 2019. While he was extremely proud of his son and 2 grandsons who attended Grey College I know that he enjoyed having a more even balance of school representation with myself and my sons Luke (class of 2023)and Benjamin (Town House Form IV) to back him up.
He is survived by his wife Hycie, daughters Karen and Jackie and son Charl. He will also be greatly missed by his grandchildren, Jean-Louis, Jean-Marc, Josie, Grace, Luke and Benjamin. He will be remembered as a warm loving man who was a friend to many. Written by Mark Southwood.