2016 was a year when many much-loved folk passed on – and none was loved as much locally as Riet Kneppers, Dundee’s much-loved ‘Lady on the bicycle’ – in Johannesburg on December 22.
Born Maria Klazina Martin in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in 1925, she survived World War Two as a young adult and survived the hunger winter of 1944-1945. She clung to her Roman Catholic faith and made a promise to God that should she survive the war she would commit her life to serve God, her family and the Church. After emigrating from Holland on a merchant ship, the Arundel Castle, she arrived in Cape Town and soon thereafter travelled by train to live in Vanderbijlpark, Ladysmith and finally, in 1958 settled in Dundee, with her loving husband, Will, who worked for many years at the former NPA. She had five children including sons, Chris Kneppers, Joe Kneppers, Jax Kneppers and daughters, Antoinette De Klerk and Rev. Margaret Northall. All but Antoinette (who lives in Johannesburg) have lived for many years in the USA. There are also 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Will passed on in 1993.
Known in Dundee as the “Lady on the bicycle”, which she rode until she was 85 years old, before reluctantly leaving her Thorrold Street house in 2012. and retiring to Rivonia.
She was the heart and soul of the local Holy Rosary Parish – especially with the Catholic Women’s League, running soup kitchens, prayer sessions, the choir and so much more. Her daughter, Rev Margaret Northall, said of her mother: No matter who you are, my mom had a way of having very individual and unique relationships with everyone in her life, that reached across many age sets. She lived by a motto taught to her by her mother, “find the good in everyone, and if things aren’t going so well, throw a whole lot of love on it”.
Above all, pray for everyone. She had a personal policy of being a friend to everyone she met. She was a true prayer warrior. Her closest connection to God was through her faith, by starting each day with a cuppa tea and the Daily Bread inspirational scripture reading.
She faithfully assisted and often led the Catholic Wednesday morning service, choosing hymns, readings and encouraging others by her upbeat presence.
“In all respect to mum: you have my deepest admiration for your adventurous spirit of a pioneering woman, who dared to emigrate and take an ocean journey from the big city of Rotterdam to join Dad in dusty Vanderbijl Park. You loved to tell how you had five children in six years…a record to be sure! And that you have no regrets. All this, along with Dad, to offer us a life in the African sunshine, even though a part of you strongly lived in Holland.”
Even while she was at Lourdes House in Rivonia, she continued to be active.. for the past four years, she formed a community with the residents. She faithfully assisted and often led the Catholic Wednesday morning service, choosing hymns, readings and encouraging others by her upbeat presence. She made it her routine to visit every resident each day at tea time and adjusting to all too often seeing lives come to an end. She valued living and participating.”
So what happened to that famous bicycle Dundonians loved to see being ridden up and down Victoria Street”.
Granddaughter, Angela. uses it for novel rides and her great-grandson gets to ride in the basket when his Dad takes him for a spin around the garden! A legacy for sure.
