GEORGE NEWS - A founding member of men's hockey in the Southern Cape. The best skipper George Lakes Yacht Club has produced. Highly respected in the building industry.
A wonderful listener, someone who had a calm presence, empathy for people and a special love of animals. Such was the diversity of Rodney Farrell, who passed away on 10 January 2021.
Farrell founded men's hockey in the Southern Cape together with his great friend, Gordon Rivas. As a member of the George Hockey and Squash Club, he represented George and the South Cape in both sports and also coached youngsters.
However, his true passion was sailing. As a skipper, he was both revered and envied. He built his own Fireball, which he sailed competitively countrywide.
Rod was Club Commodore of George Lakes Yacht Club (GLYC) for three terms and president for four, as well as being Rear-Commodore. For many years the club extensions were thanks to Rod's prowess in timber design and construction.
He acted as race officer for 30 years,assisted by his wife Thelma. They were made honorary life members of GLYC.
Rod leaves behind Thelma, his wife of 63 years, his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and many friends.
Earlier years
Rod was a farm lad from the Stormberg area in the Eastern Cape and he attended Queens College in Queenstown. He studied engineering at UCT, but when his father bought a farm in Karatara in 1956, he moved down to manage it.
Here he met Thelma Povall, whom he married in 1958. They had three children, Peter, Sandy and Barry. Rod later started his own business, Fabricated Frames, introducing gang-nail roof trusses to the Southern Cape.
His friends, Sandy Witteveen, Alastair Fraser and Di Turner, paid the following tribute to him: "Looking back at Rod's life, we remember sportsmanship, friendship, smiles and laughter. But we mostly remember friendship."
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