Pat Delhove, a vibrant member of Anerley Haven, known for her sharp wit, enthusiasm and good humour, has become a celebrated centenarian. At 100 she still posts cheeky comments on WhatsApp to her family. She was born at St Augustine’s Hospital, Durban on June 11 in 1926 – Patricia Joan Ingle.
She attended primary school in the basement of a church in Keats Avenue, Johannesburg, and completed her secondary school at Helderberg College, Somerset West. Her favourite subject was geography which accounts for her love of local and international touring. Things Patricia (fondly known as Pat) considered most important were being tidy, speaking correctly, respecting her elders and reading.
She completed her four year nurses training at Grey’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg in 1949. Pat married her school sweetheart John Francois Delhove at St James Church in Greytown on August 1 that same year. The wedding was attended by most of the village, amounting to 300 guests.
They have two children, Roy and Roger, three granddaughters, Tatum, Alexandra and Olivia, and one great-grandson, Harvey. In 1959, the family moved to Somerset West and while there, Pat worked as the school clinic sister at Helderberg College, and then theatre sister at Somerset West Hospital. Pat and John moved to Onrus River in 1979. There she worked as theatre sister at Hermanus Hospital.
In 1985 Pat won a competition open to ‘Operating Sisters’ in South Africa and was awarded a first-class ticket to attend the fourth World Conference of Operating Room Nurses at The Hague, Netherlands, a commitment to provide quality care to patients undergoing surgery. In 1989 Pat and John retired and moved to Southport on the South Coast and then to Anerley Retirement Village. After John died, Pat moved to Anerley Haven where she still resides.
She loves gardening, enjoys a good book and watches rugby, cricket and cycling on TV, and walking barefoot, usually in casual shorts and shirts. Her family is precious to her and her favourite occasion was Christmas holidays with the family uniting to share this special time.
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