Farewell to oldest member

The last surviving founder member of the Umhlali Country Club, Noel Marot, has bid farewell to his friends in the area at the age of 95, after having lived and farmed on the Natal North Coast all his life.

Noel has moved to the Oasis Retirement Home in the Cape where he will be close to his second daughter, Jennifer.

Noel and his late wife, Mary lived on their farm Tara (now Mount Richmore) near Salt Rock from 1939. They had two daughters, Kay (Frank) and Jennifer (Marot), three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

On his retirement Noel moved from the farm to the then newly completed Villas-on-One at the Umhlali Country Club.

A large number of friends and relatives turned out at the club last week to wish him well on his move.

Noel was an integral part of the Umhlali village community. During his farming career he bought and managed seven farms in the district, namely Tara, Spionkop, Dunkirk, Inglemere, Zorai, Argyll, and Woodgarth near Eshowe.

In his time, he was chairman of the Coastal Farmers’ Co-op, the Lower Tugela Co-op, and the Central Committee of the Victoria County Farmers’ Association.

As a keen golfer and bowler he was a founder member of the Umhlali Country Club. In his early days he captained the golf sections of the Salt Rock Golf Club and the Umhlali Country Club, where he was also president of the bowls section.

Noel was a committed member of All Saints Catholic Church and took his turn at being treasurer of that parish.

When asked about his favourite hobby he replied ‘Without doubt it was farming!’ followed by surf and fly fishing, photography, carpentry and model engineering. Many beautifully made pieces of furniture grace the homes of friends in Umhlali to this day. Other pieces he sold, the proceeds going to the St Vincent de Paul Society.

He leaves behind, for his grandsons, two magnificent model steam trains!

Noel would like to express his heartfelt thanks and gratitude to his family, his staff, his friends, the clergy of his parish, and all those in Umhlali/Ballito for the love, help and support given to him, especially during these last few years.

He leaves the Dolphin Coast with great sadness but is excited and positive about his new life, buoyed up by the encouragement he has received.

We wish him well … may he continue to be blessed on his way.