Seeff matriarch celebrates 90 years
HOUGHTON - The art around the house was difficult to see for all the people who turned out at Waverley resident, Dora Seef’s 90th birthday celebration.
The art around the house was difficult to see as Dora Seeff’s Houghton residence was packed for her 90th birthday celebration.
The energetic granny moved through the crowd, spoke to everyone and took time to thank every family member, old and young. Seeff also thanked her close friends who attended her birthday dinner. “I feel overwhelmed to reach this age and being surrounded by so many family members and friends on this special occasion. It’s also a blessing for me to be blessed with such a lovely family which have been so supportive to me,” said Seeff.
“He is a very generous person.”
She stated that her secret to her long and healthy life was her understanding and warm family. “I am grateful God gave me such a good life, perfected by a wonderful family.” Seeff was born Dora Miller on 8 August 1923 in Lithuania. Her family immigrated to South Africa with her when she was eight years old. According to her only son, Bernard, his mother attended Athlone Girls High School. After school, she helped her father in his café in Eloff Street.
In 1943 she got married to Morris Seeff . The couple was blessed with three children, three girls and one boy: Ruth, Denise, Joyce and Bernard.
Her husband passed away 13 years ago – after 54 years of marriage – and she now lives on her own. In her heyday she was a keen bowler and a tennis player. She also revealed that she was once president and club champion at Houghton Bowling Club.
Seeff has 12 grandchildren and even more great-grandchildren. The vibrant grandmother even drove herself home at 9pm after the party. Her grandchild Sharon Fait described her as a “true matriarch”‘ to the family. “I’ve also collected 90 envelopes filled with nostalgic memories of her from 90 people around the world. She is loved and she is a treasure to us because she gave us love. She is a true light of our lives and we all want to be like her, ” said Fait. Another grandchild, who travelled from Australia for her birthday party, Loren Datt said, “It’s an absolute pleasure to be here to celebrate this wonderful occasion with her because she is a very generous person.”
