Barberton in mourning after the brutal murder of beloved resident

When walking into any establishment in town and asking about who Edwin Sturgeon (86) was, everybody will answer with fond memories of him.

The local community was left in shock, mourning a man who was described as a champion for Barberton and someone who fought to keep the town on the map.

In Crown Street, the Sturgeon surname still stands proud on the signage of the local paint store, a family business that was established in 1945 when Ned, as he was fondly known, was still a boy.

It’s also in this town, which Sturgeon viewed as a treasure, that he was brutally murdered in his home in Sheba Street on October 19.

Col Donald Mdhluli, a spokesperson for the police, said investigations into his murder were under way.  A preliminary probe has shown that he was hacked to death and a panga was found on the scene.

Sturgeon, born in Johannesburg on March 18, 1935, was of Scottish descent and his father, George, was a survivor of the Battle of Delville Wood in 1916, as well as a co-recruiter for the third Transvaal Scottish Regiment in 1939.

His mother, May, was a nursing sister.  Sheryn Nader, a friend of Sturgeon, said his father brought recruits to Barberton for training in 1939.

In 1945 his family took permanent residence in Barberton, where he also attended primary school.

“He was probably one of the oldest persons who went to Barberton Primary, who was still living in town,” said Nader.

Sturgeon studied to become a chartered accountant at the University of the Witwatersrand.  After qualifying as both a South African and English CA, he left the country and spent some time overseas.

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According to an obituary, supplied by Sturgeon’s family, he spent time in London, Hong Kong and Japan.

“He was a regular member of the Optimists side of Hong Kong Cricket Club and represented Hong Kong in hockey at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.  During a long leave from the Far East, Ned and a friend David Gledhill climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and explored game reserves in East Africa.”

He returned to South Africa in 1974 and joined Coca-Cola in Nelspruit, where he spent nearly 10 years. During this time he married Opal Duncan and had two sons, Tony and George.

After a short spell with Eastern Transvaal Consolidated (ETC) Mines, he took over the Sturgeons building and hardware business in Barberton from his brother Bob. He ran the business for 15 years until retiring in 2000.

In 1983, while attending the Unisa School of Business Leadership, he met Gill Scott, to whom he remained devoted to until her death 2013.  During his retirement, a visit to Antarctica in 2001 fulfilled a long-held ambition.

“He spent a number of years as president of the Barberton Chamber of Business, working tirelessly for the betterment of Barberton and playing a massive role in its development. He was known for his well-written and insightful letters, published in the media, where he campaigned for what was right, the wellbeing of Barberton and its community, and South Africa as a whole,” read the obituary by his family.

Magda Prinsloo, owner of the Victorian Tea Garden, said she experienced Sturgeon as a very precise person. “Things always had to be done right, but he never was unreasonable. In my eyes he was the perfect gentleman.”  She said he was very helpful and even helped her when she started the tea garden after working at a bank for many years.

“He gave me tips on how to determine prices, how to calculate profit margins and other business things. His death is shocking and very sad. You would not wish that on any person, but especially not him.”  Steve Prinsloo, owner of the Kloofhuis Guesthouse, said Sturgeon always had an ear to listen to anyone. “He never thought a person wasn’t good enough to chat to. His drive to keep Barberton on the map was praiseworthy.” 

Nader said Sturgeon had a very interesting life.  “He was very involved in Barberton’s history. In the 70s and 80s he and many farmers in the area were involved in stopping cloud seeding in the valley.”  She said one thing everyone always said about him was that he was never partisan in his views. 

“He was always against corruption. He stood up against corrupt dealings.”

Local DA councillor, Philip Minnaar, said Sturgeon always put the town first and remained involved in the advancement of economic activities in the area.

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His family said in his final years, Sturgeon’s passions included continuing improved development of the town, spending time out in the wild, especially the Kruger National Park, and setting the world right when it came to cricket, rugby and all things sport.

He was also loved his pets dearly and was a friend of the local SPCA.  “Barberton SPCA is shocked and deeply saddened by the senseless murder of our friend and dedicated animal lover, Edwin Sturgeon. He was a generous supporter of our animal charity and we will miss his friendly smile at our book tables,” read a post on Barberton SPCA’s Facebook page.

Sturgeon leaves behind his sons George and Tony, his daughter-in-law, Marianne, his two grandsons, sisters, Sally, Betty and their families.
“While his passing leaves a void, his legacy will live on in everyone who knew him,” said the family.

He will be cremated following a private family ceremony on Thursday October 28.

A larger memorial service will be planned for a later date.

No arrests have been made in connection with the murder case. Police investigations continue.