#GeorgeDunbar: A town legend passes away

The death of Mr George Dunbar (73), a businessman of Standerton, on Thursday evening, 23 May, sent ripples through the community.

This renowned golfer and his wife, Barbara, played leading roles in the community, whether at organisations or her educational endeavours as principal of Standerton Primary School.

When talking to one of his daughters, Ms Jacquelyn Stonley, on Tuesday, 28 May, she recalled a remark about her father that a friend shared.

“He had so much class, yet himself was classless in speaking to anyone from any walk of life.”

The Dunbars’ daughters both attended primary school in town and completed matric at Pretoria Girls High.

Samantha and her husband, Steve Adelaine, stay in Johannesburg, and Jacquelyn and Mark call Centurion, Pretoria their home.

Mark is in the plumbing business as well and remembered talks with his father-in-law and described him in one word: “Awesome.”

The Stonley’s son, Keegan, had no other word but to describe his grandfather as a legend.

Mr Jan Henrico, who takes over ownership of Central Plumbing, began working there, fresh from school in 1974, and candidly admitted that George Dunbar taught him all he knows.

“Something was either right and not almost right when working,” Mr Henrico said.

He described him as honest and sincere as well as being a father figure or big brother when he was a young artisan.

His memorial service took place at the Dutch Reformed Church, the ‘Klipkerk’, on Saturday, 1 June at 11am during which family and friends paid their last respects to a stalwart of the community.

Mr Jeremy Seigel, a former chemist in Standerton, who now lives in Somerset-West, spoke about a good friend of well over 60 years.

George Wetherington Dunbar was born in Maraisburg on 29 July 1945, the second child of Joe and Sue Dunbar.

The family settled in Standerton four months later and his father no doubt saw the potential in this, the then constituency of the Prime Minister, General Jan Smuts, who could have been instrumental in attracting international industries to the town such as Swiss Nestlé, French and Italian textile companies.

George was schooled in Standerton and Newcastle and was a good ball player, making his mark with the red leather cricket ball, as well as dimpled golf ball.

As a young man, he joined the mines on the East Rand and met and married Barbara Lake in 1968.

Golf was his game for most of his life, a hobby he shared with his son, Steven, but his passion was cars.

“A petrol-head who always drove exceptional and ‘cool’ cars,” Mr Seigel said.

“Cars were his passion,” Jacquelyn confirmed.

From DKWs, British racing green Mini Coopers, Ford Cortinas, Capris, Granadas, Mercedes-Benzes, Jaguars to a string of Porsches.

With George Dunbar’s general knowledge it is a small wonder that he could recount minute detail about the cars he had possessed.

“He loved to drive himself and I got to accompany him in his cars on golfing outings to open championship days in Bethal, Ermelo, Vrede, Volksrust, Middelburg, Witbank and Evander,” Mr Seigel went on to say.

“George was a modest man, quietly confident, and always immaculately dressed.”

He was extremely proud of his two daughters, as well as his sons-in-law and grandchildren.

Samantha has just returned from the International Private Physical Therapy Association’s conference in Geneva.

George Dunbar leaves behind two daughters and sons-in-law and four grandchildren.