In memory of Serge Gaillard, PRG Matric class of 1973
deur Jean-Marie Questiaux
I recently traced Serge Gaillard’s brother, Thierry (PRG 1971) through my brother in Johannesburg, and learned that Serge had passed away from a heart attack on 31 July 2016 in Bellville, where he had lived, worked and raised his family for his entire adult life.
Serge was born on 8 June 1955 in Jadotville, now Likasi, a copper mining town in the former Belgian Congo. His family came originally from Liège in Belgium, where many of them worked at the Fabrique Nationale (Herstal). His parents moved to Jadotville in the early 1950s. His father had been recruited from Belgium to work at the local General Motors dealership. They later moved south to Elizabethville, now Lubumbashi, in 1962, where our families first met and became close friends.
When we moved to South Africa in 1967, the Gaillard family followed and like us, settled in Somerset West the next year. That is how Thierry, Serge and I came to attend Paul Roos.
After school, Serge followed his father’s footsteps and spent his entire career in the motor industry. Those who knew him remember him as a good, honest and decent man, devoted to his family, especially his two daughters and later his grandchildren.
Sadly, Serge died shortly before his youngest daughter’s wedding, for which he had already written his speech. His brother Thierry read it on his behalf, which was, and remains a moving consolation for the family.
He leaves behind his brother, his sister, his wife, two daughters and three grandchildren. May he be remembered with affection by his family, friends and old schoolmates.
Ek het onlangs, deur my broer in Johannesburg, Serge Gaillard se broer, Thierry (PRG 1971), opgespoor en verneem dat Serge op 31 Julie 2016 in Bellville aan ’n hartaanval oorlede is. Dit is waar hy sy hele volwasse lewe gewoon, gewerk en sy gesin grootgemaak het.
Serge is op 8 Junie 1955 in Jadotville, nou Likasi, gebore, ’n kopermynstad in die voormalige Belgiese Kongo. Sy familie was oorspronklik van Liège in België, waar baie van hulle by die Fabrique Nationale (Herstal) gewerk het. Sy ouers het in die vroeë 1950’s na Jadotville verhuis. Sy vader is uit België gewerf om by die plaaslike General Motors-handelaar te werk. Hulle het in 1962, suidwaarts verhuis na Elizabethville, nou Lubumbashi, waar ons families mekaar die eerste keer ontmoet en hegte vriende geword het.
Toe ons in 1967 na Suid-Afrika verhuis het, het die Gaillard-gesin gevolg en, soos ons, die volgende jaar in Somerset-Wes gaan woon. Dit is hoe Thierry, Serge en ek, by Paul Roos beland het.
Na skool het Serge in sy vader se voetspore gevolg en sy hele loopbaan in die motorbedryf deurgebring. Dié wat hom geken het, onthou hom as ’n goeie, eerlike en ordentlike man, toegewyd aan sy familie, veral sy twee dogters en later sy kleinkinders.
Ongelukkig is Serge kort voor sy jongste dogter se troue oorlede, waarvoor hy reeds sy toespraak geskryf het. Sy broer Thierry het dit namens hom voorgelees, wat ’n diep roerende troos vir die familie was, en steeds is.
Hy laat sy broer, sy suster, sy vrou, twee dogters en drie kleinkinders agter. Mag hy met liefde onthou word deur sy familie, vriende en ou skoolmaats.