Desmond will be fondly remembered

DESMOND Hilton Bowley-Manning, born on January 1 in 1936, passed away on June 21 after battling Covid-19.

Des lived in Durban for most of his life until he moved to Randfontein, at age 83, to live with his daughter, Debra and her fiancé, Bernhard Jacobs. He was a loving father, father-in-law, grandfather, great grandfather, brother and brother-in-law. To Des, family was everything. Honesty, civility and kindness were imperative.

He was sent from Durban to boarding school in Richmond (during WW2) where he spent most of his time. He grew up with the Down’s family of Richmond who took him under their wing.

A brilliant sportsman, in his junior school years at Richmond primary, with cricket scouts in attendance, he proudly remembered bowling six wickets with six balls. Unfortunately, at the time, although it was a record, it was not recorded.

After his school years, he completed his electrical apprenticeship with Defy and stayed with them for many years before he branched out on his own. He started a company called Stove Repco. I still have one of his ladders.

His sportiness never left him over the years and he took to body building and entered Mr Durban senior and won the title. He continued to train, however, when enhancement agents for the sport became the norm, stopped competing as he refused to take them.

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He met his sweetheart, Marie Cecelia Dorethea Fourie, when he was 16 at the Durban Beach Baths. They certainly made an attractive couple and carried that through life. They were married in June in 1959 at the Stella Presbyterian Church where Des later became an elder. Their love for God only grew as time went on.

Des and Cecile were very involved in the community over the years. They were on the school governing body (SGB) at Bellair Primary School when their daughters (Debbie and Tracy) were there. One year, while at Bellair Primary, Desmond organised a ‘battle of the choirs’ at the Durban City Hall in teh early 1970s. All of the school choirs came together to compete and I remember the place being packed to capacity and the evening was a roaring success. They were also on the SGB at Queesnsburgh Girls’ High School.

On closing his electrical business, he joined Keens electrical until he decided to study theology part-time. He then moved into the ministry where spent the rest of his life.

Never did my mom miss an opportunity to feed the hungry at her gate. Neither did Des pass up the opportunity to visit and preach to the needy in hospitals and old age homes.

Together they were a force to be reckoned with as they were always with a laugh and a smile. I don’t ever remember hearing my parents argue or fight!

My mother, having a superb command of the English language, used to laugh at the news reader’s mispronunciation of words, while calling out the answer to a crossword my dad was doing in dining room. You could always hear him ask her: “Lovey, what is a five letter word meaning… has an ‘e’ and an ‘l’ in it?”. She would rattle off three or four options to which the reply would come, “OK, got it!”. He was so funny, as he never got it. She always got them for him. We would smile and let it go.

He was a founding member of the running club at Stella Sports Club. Comrades took his fancy and he ran a couple of times with his brothers, Bruce and Stafford Peetz.

Marie Cecelia, mom, passed away on January 12 in 2008 on her 70th birthday.

Desmond was 85 when he died. As gentlemanly and loving and proud as always, he will be sorely missed by all who knew him. He still had his Kenny Rogers look, as most will remember him. He is survived by his two brothers, two daughters, three grandchildren and a great-grand son.

He did not want a church memorial as he and we know where he is. Instead, he wanted people to sit, have a beer and chat about life and laugh – and that is what we will do. A memorial wake is set to take place at the Stella Sports Club on July 23.

The time and date will will be confirmed due to the Covid-19 restrictions.

– Loving daughters, Debbie and Tracy

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