FAMILY and friends are mourning the death of Ocean View Road, Winklespruit resident Marie Köhler (61).
Marie was diagnosed with advanced cancer in February and received treatment at Rainbow Oncology Centre. She was admitted to Kingsway Hospital in mid-September where she died in the early hours of Tuesday, 22 September.
She and her husband Nico arrived in Amanzimtoti in 1974 and moved to Winklespruit in 1979. The family then moved to Newcastle in 1982. Here Marie was not only a mother to young Elize and Johan, but also a daymother for children from the area. She also found time to run a small craft business from home, selling her hand-made items at various weekend markets in Newcastle. In 1990, the family was able to return to the same neighbourhood in Ocean View Road, Winklespruit.
Marie became known among the residents of the area as a dependable neighbour. She looked after neighbours’ houses, gardens and pets while their owners were away. She loved taking care of them and grew quite attached to some of the pets. She was devastated when she had to part with them. Marie often helped to trace the owners of distraught or lost animals that were traumatised by fireworks and thunderstorms.
She successfully petitioned the municipality to provide a sewage reticulation system for the neighbourhood. She was always vigilant and had a good relationship with the CCPO. She was a keen gardener and enjoyed trading cuttings and plants with friends and neighbours. She did not shy away from hard work and tackled DIY tasks around the house with determination.
She will be remembered for her involvement in the community and will be sorely missed.
