Obituary – Clacherty will be fondly remembered
Shirley Clacherty commemorates the memory of her father-in-law, Peter Clacherty, a well known teacher, who recently passed away.
PETER Clacherty, a well known and respected teacher in New Germany and Pinetown, died on Tuesday 18 February at the age of 85.
Clacherty was born on 3 June 1928 in England. He temporarily moved to South Africa on a teaching contact with his wife Mary Clacherty. They were forced to return to England when his contract expired. Eventually, the Clacherty’s decided to move back to South Africa and settled in Pinetown.
Back in the day Clacherty had to learn to speak Afrikaans to obtain a permanent teaching position. He also learned to speak Zulu.
The passionate teacher first worked at Pinetown Primary School (Pinetown Infant School) in the 1950s. He then went on to being the principal at Southlands Primary School in Woodlands from 1970 to 1982. Subsequently, he accepted a headmaster’s position at New Germany Primary School from 1983 to 1989.
He was respected by his peers, students, the parents and his friends, and he never forgot a person’s name or what they did.
For some families he taught both parents and their children. Some of the things his students remembered about him: One of his pupils went missing one afternoon and he got in his car, and drove up and down the streets looking for her. She was later found, safely playing at a friends house.
A quote from her “ A few people are as dedicated to their flock of children as he was,” she said. One of his students has followed in his foot steps and has also become a teacher. She will always remember him as an amazing man, teacher and leader. All his ex pupils have expressed that he treated with respect.
Peter and Mary Clacherty had five children and eight grandchildren . He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Rest in peace.
