Natalia No 45 Obituary Elliott.Pdf

Obituaries

Kenneth Paul Elliott (1951–2014) ROMINENT KwaZulu-Natal school principal, Ken Elliott, Pdied on October 1, 2014, after a nearly two-year battle with cancer. He was 63 at the time of his death. Elliott grew up on his parents’ farm near Lowlands station on the main line between Mooi River and Estcourt. He attended Clifton Preparatory School in Nottingham Road, followed by Maritz- burg College. At school he was very much an all-rounder being both aca- demically gifted and an accomplished sportsman. In 1968, his matric year, he was deputy head boy and head of Clark House, one of the school’s boarding houses. In addition, he played both first team tennis and cricket and was selected for the U18 Natal Schools’ XI as a wicketkeeper / batsman. Ken Elliott After qualifying as a teacher at the who battled with the subject. He rose University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, rapidly through the ranks and by his he returned to his alma mater where he mid-30s was promoted as principal was soon recognised as an especially of Wartburg-Kirchdorf High School. able teacher of mathematics, at home This was followed by several years at with both the high flyers and those the helm of Kingsway High School in

Amanzimtoti, where he had previously To the boys of the school he projected served as deputy principal. From Kings the image of a stern and forbidding man way he moved to Westville Boys’ High of action. They remember him striding School where he served as headmaster down the corridors at the school in his for a year. A brief change in direction academic gown – or in their words “Bat- saw him move into the registrar’s man outfit” – holding up his hand like department at the University of Natal “a shark’s fin”, causing the boys in his before returning to departmental service path to part before him like the waters of as a temporary mathematics lecturer the Red Sea. This same “Batman outfit” at Edgewood College of Education. features in the memory of a past pupil His return to the service of the Natal of Durban Girls’ College who, as a little Education Department meant that he girl, remembers stopping the headmas- was able to apply for the Maritzburg ter in the corridor and asking him why College post and he duly took up the he was wearing “a Harry Potter cloak”. position of headmaster of the province’s In marked contrast to the stern head- oldest high school in mid-1992 at the master, whose “pulsating vein” was age of 42. He served the school with apt to strike terror into schoolboys, his considerable skill and dedication for the relationship with his management team, next ten-and-a-half years until the end senior staff and old scholars was excep- of 2002. He saw out the remainder of his tionally genial. An engaging raconteur distinguished career as the popular head with a ready ability to see the funny of Durban Girls’ College, an old and side of things, his coffee sessions with highly respected private primary and his management team at Maritzburg high school for girls. His retirement at College seem to have been more of a the end of 2012 was marred by the death pleasure for those in attendance than a of his beloved wife Joan in September necessary duty. of that year. A few months later he was Evidence suggests that this genial- diagnosed with the cancer which led to ity was more universally apparent at his death in 2014. Durban Girls’ College, where the need So much for Ken’s career, but what to maintain a somewhat intimidating of the man himself? As a principal, demeanour was not called for to the he was a highly skilled manager and same degree as with College boys. Both charismatic leader rather than an he and his wife Joan became greatly educational innovator. Nevertheless, his loved figures on the staff of the Durban term as headmaster of Maritzburg Col- school. lege spanned a period in the history of When he left Maritzburg College at South Africa and of education of almost the end of 2002, senior staff member constant change and he proved adept at Tony Wiblin paid tribute to him thus: keeping the school functioning at a high “[Ken’s] … ebullient nature, deci- level for a decade. siveness, willingness to make tough An accomplished orator with an ebul- decisions and follow through with lient nature, Ken had something of the them, tirelessness, shrewdness, intel- thespian in him. His sons remember lect and essential optimism stood him that he would go into “school mode” in good stead. Throughout his ten and on walking out of the door of the head- a half years at the helm, he remained master’s house at Maritzburg College. good-natured, sympathetic where

Natalia 45 (2015) Copyright © Natal Society Foundation 2015 Obituaries sympathy was due, approachable and play such a vital role in determining deeply sensitive to the difficulties that the school’s direction. His devotion to teenagers endure … His public image College took him to nearly every Col- – assured, urbane, witty – made him a lege or Old Boys’ function held during wonderful figurehead. He could interact his period of office and he was a tireless socially with our whole community and supporter of College sports teams.” intellectually with the judges, lawyers, SIMON HAW accountants, doctors and others who John D’Urban Godlonton (1938–2015) OCTOR John Godlonton died in June 2015. He was D76 years old. Born in Cape Town, he was educated in Queenstown at Queens College. He did his medical training at UCT before practising as a GP in Kokstad. Thereafter he moved to Durban to study neurosurgery at Wentworth Hospital. This he did not enjoy and so switched to Addington Hospital for paediatrics which he found of greater appeal. For most of his pro- fessional life he worked as a specialist paediatrician at Edendale Hospital in Pietermaritzburg. Retirement took him to Leisure Bay where he remained for a decade, continuing to work at Port Shepstone hospital, now mainly in a teaching role. When his health started John Godlonton to deteriorate he and his wife moved to two decades from 1977. And besides his Grahamstown, because his son lived role as an administrator, he completed there, for what proved to be the last the Comrades Marathon himself four three years of his life. times and was awarded his CMA Life John Godlonton has been described Membership with Honours in 1988. as a phenomenal person who was ac- I first met Dr John Godlonton when tive in various roles in the Comrades I was an intern at Edendale Hospital. Marathon Association and the KZN He was an amazing teacher, with a Rugby Sub-Union from the 1970s. He fantastic ability to impart knowledge was a member of the CMA Executive in a practical, easily understandable Committee from 1980 to 1988, and its manner. He was a legend at Edendale Vice-Chair for two years. He headed the Hospital and was a founder of the infa- Comrades Medical Portfolio for nearly mous doctor’s pub, “Easy Riders”. John