Former East Rand Military History Society (ERMHS) chairman has died

He died early on March 20, in the Chris Barnard Hospital, of renal failure, aged 76.

Born in Benoni in 1937, Brian was educated at St Dunstan’s College and Benoni High School.

In the 1950s, he took singing lessons with Gomar Davies and developed a pleasing tenor voice, joining the Benoni Male Voice Choir.

He then went on to develop his flair for musical comedy, and performed several principle roles in the East Rand Musical Comedy Players, Startimers and the East Rand Theatre Club, from the mid 1950s to the early ’80s.

While playing the lead in “The Quaker Girl”, in 1959, he met his wife, Judy, who played the female lead opposite him.

They were married in June, 1961.

A passionate historian, Brian served the ERMHS well for seven years, as chairman, together with Judy, as secretary.

In 2006, he embarked on a tour of part of the Western Front, including Delville Wood, where his uncle had lost an arm in battle.

Brian was still active in art-glass sales, which he loved, until January 2012, when he and Judy moved to Cape Town to live with their son, Sheldon.

“Brian was an avid reader and virtually worked his way through the Sea Point Library in the last two years,” said Judy.

“As well as that, he was a cryptic crossword wizard, and couldn’t wait to get his daily Citizen flown from Gauteng.

“He chose his newspapers on the strength of the cryptic crossword.”

Brian loved classical music, and especially enjoyed operatic tenors.

He would often air his collection at double forte.

His other major armchair activity was cricket, which he would enjoy from the first delivery to the very last ball, enthusiastically “coaching” the Proteas through the screen.

He also absolutely loved his dogs, and their welfare and entertainment was of paramount importance him.

“Although we miss our Benoni friends terribly, we resolved to make the most of the beautiful scenery and activities in the Cape,” said Judy.

“We joined the U3A and regularly attended their highly informative presentations.

“We also enjoyed many symphony concerts, drives to surrounding places of interest and beauty, often taking a picnic, and our dogs, to enjoy the magnificent views.”

Judy said Brian also took command of the kitchen as she became less mobile in the past few years, and was unfailing in his devotion and care.

“He instinctively knew what to do,” she said.

She said that Brian’s greatest legacy “to all of us, is the laughter he brought, for which we will always be grateful”.

Brian is survived by Judy and Sheldon.