Pinetown stalwart dies

PINETOWN mourns the loss of Michael Knowles who died on Saturday night at Pinetown Nursing Home, a few months before his 83rd birthday.

For the past two years, he had been living with his youngest son David and his family in Pinetown and was staying in the home while they moved to Kloof.

He was due to move into the new house on Monday this week, but picked up a bad cough and chest infection last week. Things got progressively worse and by Saturday he was seriously ill. He turned down numerous requests to see a doctor or go to hospital, quietly slipping away after taking his pills for the night.

Michael was born in Seaview in November 1930 and spent all his life in the Highway area. He grew up on the family farm in New Germany, walking to Pinetown station and catching the train to school in Durban. He watched Pinetown grow from a small town into what it is today and he played no small part in it. On many occasions, he entertained people with stories from those days, remembering the characters, the families and the people that made Pinetown a fascinating place to live.

He never finished school and, after a brief sojourn to Rhodesia in his late teens to work on a tobacco farm, he returned home and got involved in the family business which was starting to take shape and move toward what it eventually became – Pinetown’s most respected and known supermarket.

With his brothers Frank and Jimmy and sisters Ruth and Marion, retailing became his life. As a family, they built the business into one of the most respected in the country and he sacrificed many a school holiday to keep the ship sailing and provide for his family.

He married Lorraine (Pringle) in 1957 and enjoyed 42 years of love and happiness until Lorraine died from cancer in 2000. Many people felt that a part of him died with her, such was his love for her, and the past 13 years had been long and lonely for him. He endeavoured to provide top education for his three sons, again making sacrifices and holding back holidays and alterations to his home while paying off what was owed.

As a retailer, he was highly respected. He was instrumental in launching Spar in South Africa and was held in high regard by the organisation. He was on various guilds and committees and was a winner of Mr Spar South Africa and Mr Spar Natal on more than one occasion at the organisation’s annual convention, of which he attended many.

As the grocery buyer of the business, he was hard but fair on staff and reps. He knew what he wanted and he expected a high, honest standard of delivery and service. If he had to raise his voice to someone, he said what was necessary and ended the conversation with, “Have a happy day.”

He valued Lorraine’s support in all he did and set a new standard when it came to attending business functions. More than once, he was invited to product launches and other business events and, on being informed it was men only, firmly put his foot down, refusing to attend unless wives could also join. More often than not, he soon received a phone call from the company concerned, saying that wives were more than welcome. He soon gained a reputation for this and many a company changed their tune, opting to include wives and partners in future endeavours.

He loved nature and when he lived in Pinetown, where Pinecrest Centre now stands, his backyard was filled with bird aviaries. He nursed sick and wounded birds and spent most Sundays cleaning water dishes, hosing out the aviaries and putting in new material for nesting. When he moved to Kloof, he became a keen gardener, taking great pride in his garden where he spent many happy hours tending his plants and building rockeries. He had a special love for clivias and in time, became quite an expert when offering advice on what to plant where, how to prune and what was best to have in the garden.

While working, he enjoyed many opportunities to travel, including overseas, where he enjoyed the history and rich heritage of Europe. At home, he was a quiet man, often preferring to be away from too much activity, losing himself in listening to his radio or watching TV. He enjoyed his sport, particularly cricket and rugby and relished watching matches on TV. He read a newspaper daily and was someone who valued friends, many friendships still flourishing from his early days in Pinetown.

He was kind, humble and always keen to help, often looking for ways to assist people in life. He valued loyalty and honesty and was a person who could be trusted and relied upon for anything. When he gave his word to something, it was a certainty it would happen.

When he closed his eyes for the final time, he could reflect on a life well lived. He was a satisfied man, having worked hard, lived well, had a cherished marriage and done all he needed to accomplish. His sense of humour was enjoyed by young and old and he will be remembered as a gentleman, fine husband and a dad who had strong principles and standards.

Michael is survived by his three sons- Bryan, John and David – and four grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held on Friday 4 October, at Pinetown Methodist Church, at 11am.