The family of the late Elizabeth Engelbrecht, 96, who was an activist for children and women’s rights, described her as a remarkable woman who lived her life to the full and was not inhibited by age.
Ms Engelbrecht was well known for her involvement in the Grassy Park Nursery School, of which she was a founding member. She dedicated 40 years of service to it.
She died after a short illness on Sunday January 15 and her funeral was held on Friday January 20.
Ms Engelbrecht was passionate about children and apart from the creche, she also served as a board member for the Early Learning Resources Unit (Elru) for 37 years.
She ran 10km races up until the age of 73 and was a line dancer up until the age of 90, despite having two hip replacements. She also learnt to swim at the age of 65.
Her granddaughter, Melody Engelbrecht, said Ms Engelbrecht modelled her life around her “ABCD philosophy”.
“The A is for attitude. Her sheer tenacity saw her complete her passion project where she spearheaded a campaign in the 1970s and 1980s to raise R200 000 to build the Grassy Park Nursery School. The B is for her belief in God, and the C is for choice, and she chose to live her life to the fullest and not let her age inhibit her. The D was for discipline,” she said, adding that an extra letter, R, was for respect.
Ms Engelbrecht, who lived in Crawford, was also a seasoned traveller, and visited New Zealand, Australia, Sweden, the Netherlands, Brazil, America, Germany, Canada, France, England and Zimbabwe over the years.
She was a member of the International Women’s Club and often hosted supper clubs.
In 2008, she was awarded the Shoprite/Checkers Woman of the Year Award in Education.
Melody said her grandmother had lived her life dedicated to making the world a better place.
“She was a woman of courage and strength, and her wisdom was a beacon of hope and guidance to all around her. She was always willing to lend a helping hand or a word of encouragement. She was compassionate and selfless. She touched the lives of so many people and will be fondly remembered for her kindness, strength and courage.”
A former staff member of Elru, Yasmin Solomons, said she would remember Ms Engelbrecht as a fighter for children and women. Beyond that, Ms Solomons added that Ms Engelbrecht was a friend and “another mother” to her.
Ms Engelbrecht leaves four children, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.