Boishaaier 2019

HULDEBLYK – RICHARD VISAGIE O m as jongeling met ’n welige 1970-styl-haredos en ’n weliger baard in 1977 as nuwe Engelse onderwyser by HJS aangestel te kon word, is geen geringe prestasie nie. Met ook ’n universiteitsbynaam van “ronde koppie” moes daar ’n feëverhaal aan sy aanstelling wees. Dit was ’n fee in die rysige gestalte van Tom Engela. Bloot die feit dat Richard vir Villiersdorp se eerste rugbyspan en later vir meer as 100 wedstryde vir Boland as haker diens gedoen het, het niks daarmee te doen nie. Richard was bloot die tipe onderwyser wat voorkeur by almal gekry het en is summier as deel van die oorwegend manlike personeel by HJS aangestel waar hy van die begin sy stempel wel deeglik op alle terreine van die skool se aktiwiteite afgedruk het. Die hare het mettertyd in bedwang gekom, maar die baard het

RICHARD VISAGIE

slaap. Daar was selfs ’n geleentheid waar ons in ons slaapsakke tussen Hanover en Richmond langs die pad onder die bussie geslaap het. Die gesnork het natuurlik ook daar gepla, maar daar was nie ’n gang nie. Ten spyte van vele terugslae in sy lewe, was hy altyd positief en hartlik en het altyd tyd gehad vir die seuns om na hulle probleme te luister. Toe ons hom die voog van die graad 8-seuns gemaak het, was hy aanvanklik baie ongelukkig daaroor. Tipies egter van hom het hy die geleentheid aangegryp en die hele stelsel van die graad 8-voogskap en -verwelkoming in iets pragtigs, wat deur baie ander skole nou nagevolg word, verander en uitgebou. Dit bly vir my een van Richard se grootste takke in die Boishaai-boom. En nou gaan ook hy amptelik die tydlose periode binne. Van ons ou manne wat al daaraan gewoond is, “baie welkom” en mag dit ’n geseënde tydperk saam met Marieta wees. Hannes Visagie class and circumstances. He loves and walks the extra mile for every ONE of them. He has a saying: “Pick on the positives” and he strives to make the best of every situation. He is a person who would go above and beyond to help others where he sees a need. He is always willing, and nothing is ever too hard for him or too much to handle. I know very few people, none in fact, who would walk the miles my father walks for people who need him, from the most trivial action like a lift out of his way to the most life-changing, and he NEVER expects anything in return. He will give his last penny to help someone else, even sometimes at the expense of himself and his family. His favourite quote is: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” My father has a good and generous heart. Favourite food: Nonna’s pasta Food dislikes: Tripe Our song: Smooth – Santana with Rob Thomas Our favourite TV series: CSI (Miami) Favourite sport: Rugby What makes him happy: Braaiing a skuinsrib and enjoying a good bottle of red wine with his family His passion: Rugby (scrums), education, discipline and children What angers him: Disrespectful and unfair people

gebly, tot vandag toe. Die bynaam het verander na Billy Bush en toe na Bushpig. Alles as gevolg van die welige baard. Vir die seuns was dit natuurlik eretitels vir ’n man wat oral respek afgedwing het met sy bereidwilligheid om aan alle fasette van die skool deel te neem en te help uitbou. Vir my persoonlik, wat 21 jaar saam

met hom rugby afgerig het, was hy die stimulus wat dinge wat goed was, met nuwe insigte verbeter het. Verskille was daar natuurlik, maar die goeie het altyd geseëvier en ons was besonder suksesvol in alles wat op en om die rugbyveld gebeur het. Soms het my snorkery ondraaglik geword as ons op toere ’n kamer moes deel en het hy sy matras geneem en buite in die gang gaan

MY FATHER

R = Reliable I = Integrity C = Chivalrous

H = Hardworking A = Achievement R = Rich in family and true friends D = Determined

My father is a fair and humble man with great integrity, commitment and passion. He is a God-fearing man, role model, example and mentor to many. He is a great father and loving grandfather who does his best to provide for his family and attend and support my son in his schooling and sporting activities. He is a family man and an exceptional father figure to my son whose father is absent in his life and who sees how to be a real gentleman through his oupa’s example. He has a good sense of humour and likes a good joke/prank and can be very sarcastic at times. In his time at the school I don’t think he has been absent once; even those times he was too sick to function, he would dress up and show up, because he does not want to let anyone down. He has been a rugby coach at the school from when I can remember – he always referred to the boys in the teams he coached as ‘my children’, because that is how he sees the children in his class and in his teams. He accepts and respects people from all religions, races, gender, backgrounds,

Lindi Visagie

8

BOISHAAI 151 YEARS