Dorothy Slingers, 70, a dedicated teacher who worked even beyond her retirement years, died after a short illness on Sunday July 18.
Ms Slingers, who had spent most of her decades of teaching at Red River Primary School in Manenberg, has been described by her niece, Tarryn Jansen, as a kind-hearted, selfless and generous person.
“My aunt was a very dedicated teacher. She instilled good values, and always reminded her pupils to be kind and respectful to one another. I think she was especially determined to instil good values because of the circumstances many of her pupils found themselves in, growing up in communities with high levels of poverty, violence and other social ills. She was also a very kind-hearted person, and if you needed help, she would always be more than willing to help,” Ms Jansen said.
Ms Slingers spent her formative years in Mowbray before the forced removals under apartheid. Her family moved to Bridgetown, where she lived up until her death, and she attended Arcadia High School in Bonteheuwel. Before studying at Wesley Teachers’ Training College, she worked at a library in Cape Town and at Cape Mental Health.
Ms Slingers taught at Red River Primary School for 28 years. She also taught at Disa Primary in Bonteheuwel and Edendale Primary in Manenberg. She frequently worked on contract after her retirement.
She was diagnosed with cancer six weeks before she died.
“By the time she was diagnosed, the cancer was already in its final stage,” Ms Jansen said. “She never complained about any pain – only on the Saturday evening before she passed on.”
Ms Slingers was never married and had not children of her own, but she played a pivotal role in her nieces’ and nephews’ lives. She is survived by her four sisters.