Two weeks before our long-awaited trip to our son in the Netherlands, the very last thing I expected to do, was having to write a eulogy for my darling Arthur.
Our trip was postponed to the end of September, as it became clear he needed critical surgery in a desperate attempt to save his life, but fate had other plans for him.
Digging into the past however took me on a fascinating journey, was good therapy in the end, and re-ignited my keen interest in genealogy.
This also inspired my oldest son to start a family tree online which led to unearthing stories from the older generation.
Our lineage spans across Europe, a tapestry of cultures.
Arthur's paternal great-grandfather was a ship's Captain from Sheffield, England, and came to South Africa and married a Dutch lady.
His Dad served in the Second World War and was stationed in Egypt for a period. This War had a profound effect on this gentle soul.
His maternal Grandfather was an American immigrant of German descent, who hailed from Texas, and came to South Africa during the First World War when skilled Horsemen were sought after. He married a Danish lady who sadly died when Arthur's Mom was only five years old. They lived on a farm in the Eastern Cape, and Grandpa Heise never remarried.
Arthur's Mom married a man of Jewish descent, but that marriage ended in divorce, a rarity back in the 1940s. They had a son who eventually went to live with his father, and adopted Judaism; Arthur and his half-brother kept in touch right to the end.
When Arthur was only seven, he went into a coma and spent his eighth birthday in hospital where he was diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus.
His Mom used to test his glucose levels and inject him for the first couple of years, but he started doing it himself as he got older.
Living with Type 1 Diabetes and having to rely on Insulin to stay alive, is full of perils, especially so back in the 1950s, a constant battle of dealing with high and low glucose levels. Many people do not understand the impact fluctuating glucose levels have on someone physically and emotionally.
Arthur's love of sports, especially Football helped him tremendously with his health, he played Football in the backyard and on the sports fields as a little boy till his early 40s.
He loved nature, the sea, fishing, and getaways with family and friends. His unwavering generosity left a mark on people from all walks of life.
He was an immensely proud Dad of our two sons and sacrificed much to ensure they had the best of everything to further their sports activities and careers.
We met by a stroke of luck through a lady I worked with, and married in December 1974.
Being an empath, he dedicated himself to uplifting others, often at the cost of his own well-being.
Arthur obtained a B.Tech In Civil Engineering, specializing in Roads and Stormwater. He worked for our local Municipality for years and took early retirement when offered a position with private consultants.
This position was especially challenging as it took him out of his comfort zone, especially when he had to design an irrigation dam. That project was nominated for a prestigious engineering award, where we attended a grand awards evening.
Arthur's background helped with planning the BnB which we set up just before retirement, a job we both loved as we have a love of people, many of whom are devastated when they hear of his untimely death.
Sadly, Arthur spent his last birthday in hospital when he turned 73. He carried his age well, but we did not realize the full extent of the damage the fluctuating glucose levels had on his cardiovascular system.
The hospital staff made a fuss of him on his birthday, brought him a pink snowball cake from their canteen, and sang and danced around his bed.
Arthur's heart was tired and tragically stopped soon after a lengthy bypass surgery on the afternoon of 17 July.
He touched many lives and left a huge void in the hearts of his family and friends.
I will be undertaking the journey to the Netherlands by myself, a harsh reminder of the unforeseen twists life's journey can take!
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