Ballito’s well-known and loved Gaynor Engels’ memorial service this Tuesday

Well-known and respected Ballito trader, Vivienne Gaynor Engels passed away on November 4 at the age of 94.

Gaynor, who many will recall as the owner of the Ballito-based gift shop, Reflections, was born in the United Kingdom on June 17 of 1925.

She led an interesting life and survived the second World War.

Gaynor was raised on the Mersey River near Liverpool where, at a young age, she discovered her faith in the Anglican Church.

It was in Liverpool during the second World War that at the age of 16 she met her husband-to-be, Jan Antoni Engels who was described as a dashing young naval officer.

The duo met at an afternoon social where the allied fleet were welcomed to England.

They danced into the night and, when Jan escorted Gaynor home late that night her father could be seen anxiously pacing the street.

Jan arrived the next day flowers in hand as an apology to Gaynor’s mom for having kept her out so late.

Months passed before Jan would be back in Liverpool but when he arrived he found that Gaynor had been evacuated to a farm in Somerset – a then safe haven from Hitler’s bombing of the dockyards on the Mersey.

Jan journeyed after Gaynor and proposed his everlasting love to her.

According to Gaynor’s surviving family members, this was her most cherished memory.

Jan passed away just shortly before Gaynor turned 40.

“What is so characteristic of our mother’s courage and self sacrifice is that after she married our father at only seventeen years of age, she joined the Dutch Red Cross and survived the aerial bombings of London.

“She told me she owed it to my father whose life was at risk, and that she felt closer to him that way,” said Mark Engels, Gaynor and Jan’s son.

Having settled in Pretoria after the war, Jan and Gaynor had a son some 10 years later before moving to Zululand where they would run the Royal Hotel in Empangeni.

Soon, two more children came into the world.

Gaynor was described as gentle and, her calm kindness as always being what remained after she had left a room and, even as a businesswoman of formidable stature, nobody could have ever accused her of being anything but fair and honest.

Gaynor is survived by her children Justin, Mark and Verity.

The memorial service will be held at All Souls Anglican Church on Tuesday, November 12 at noon.

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