Weppie
WILNA WEPENER (VROU)
15 APRIL 2020
UIT DIE kring van ons ketting is op 15 April 2020 ‘n kosbare skakel geneem met Weps se se skielike afsterwe. Almal wat hom geken het, se harte is gebreek en hy laat ‘n leemte in ons lewens wat nooit weer gevul sal kan word nie.
My dierbare man was die beste wat ek ooit voor kon gevra het. Hy was n regte raakvatter – van installeerdeer van kameras op die dak tot bobaas kok. Sy grootste liefde was natuurlik BRAAI : of dit reën of bliksemstraal, maar braai sal ons braai. Weps was die anker van die Wepenerfamilie en sy gesin, en ouma Bettie se trots. Vir sy kollegas, vriende, kennisse, die “Ballies” saam met wie hy afstandbeheerde vliegtuie gevlieg het en sy oseaan-‘buddies’ was hy ‘n vriend duisend. Hy het met warmte sy lag en stoutighede met almal gedeel.
As daardie pragtige ou eers ‘n vonkel in die oog kry, het ek geweet hy is besig met een of ander streek. Sy eie behoeftes is altyd laaste gestel. En sy algemene kennis was verstommend. Ek was werklik bevoorreg dat die Here Weps vir my geleen het vir 38 jaar.
Hy was deel van die organisering van verskeie wêreldbekerreëlings – wat hy natuurlik met oorgawe aangepak het : die 1995 Rugbywêreldbeker was die eerste groot taak en daarna het die 2010 Fifa Wêreldbeker gevolg.
Weps was n wonderlike eggenoot, raadgewer, ‘n skouer om op te huil en my vertroueling wat altyd in my geglo het. Die aand toe ek die onverwagse oproep kry, het ek letterlik gevoel hoe my hart uit my liggaam geruk word. Hoe kan so ‘n fikse man so skielik heengaan?
Die aarde en my lewe is leeg sonder sy borrelende persoonlikheid en aansteeklike geesdrif.
Die tyd gaan vinnig verby, maar nie sonder ‘n dag wat ek weet sy plek is leeg en dat ons hom onsettend mis nie.
Weps was ‘n uitstaande voorbeeld van iemand met integriteit, as eggenoot, pa, broer en seun, mentor, vriend, raadgewer, rolmodel en iemand wie se wakker oë en glimlag altyd warm in ons harte en gedagtes sal wees.
Burger (Eldest son)
On the shore of his passion he would chat, he would smile, he would share in your joy. Barefoot anticipation excitement, as watery mountains and valleys called to him.
He invited us away from land in the warm salty embrace of memories and love of the ocean.
John-Louis (Youngest son)
Writing this message is the hardest thing I have ever had to do.
To say I loved my dad would be an understatement – and to say I’m going to miss him would be an even greater understatement. I am sure that I am not the only one that feels this and it is a testament to the type of person my pa was.
I am going to try and keep this short as I can keep going for days.
During this manic time it has been the most unexpected, heartbreaking thing that could have happened and I still cannot believe that it is real. He never told me how to live; he showed me how to live. He definitely lived by the mantra ‘I am here for a good time not a long time’. His love for everything in life was so infectious, I can still see and hear it. I can still see him going over to the record player and putting on a song he loved. Just being in the moment and wanting you to live in that moment with him, was such a special experience and one that I will cherish forever. He loved to laugh, I can still hear it now, whether it was at a rude joke or at his own expense, it didn’t matter, as long as everyone was having a laugh with him.
I could not have asked for a better father and role model. His life has touched countless people across this world and the void that has been left will be felt for a long time.
The last time pa and I were together was in October and it feels like such a long time ago. It was such an incredible time, I got to show him the country I live in and we literally climbed a mountain together. We spent a lot of quality time together and will not trade it for the world.
Lastly, I am humbled by my mom’s strength over the past few months and her ability to focus on the amazing life she shared with my dad and how strong she has been for us throughout this time. It has been incredibly tough, not being able to fly over to be there in person. I am so proud that she has been able to put this together during this tough time and I know that my pa is looking down at all of us and smiling.
I miss you and love you pa. I know you are riding all the waves in heaven and already driving everyone crazy☺
Cheers and Tjorts until we see each other again.
Tao – Daughter in Law
This is from me🙂 It has been 16 years since my dad passed away. During my first visit to SA, mom and dad looked after me like I’m their real daughter. Especially dad who drove us everywhere near or far, who showed me the beauty of SA, who cooked the best steak in the world for me. He made me feel so warm and grateful to have a dad in my family again. After that, every time I visited SA, dad still did the same, which was doing his best to ensure that we will have a good holiday. I really appreciate everything he did for us. Every minute together was a precious time for me.
Fenella (daughter-in-law)
Johan lives on in my happiest memories, filled only with joy, laughter and enthusiasm. His spirit of adventure was contagious and I will never forget our escapades in the dunes of Ponta, swimming with dolphins, zip-lining, endless braais and all the late night drinking… But most of all I will never forget him welcoming me with open arms into the Wepener family – the best father-in-law a daughter could ask for.
FROM MARINE LIFE SAVING CLUB
Johan we will never forget you and thank you for your great spirit of giving. We were honoured to have you in our club and as one of our honorable members.
His Kite Surf and SUP Buddies
Johan Wepener has never been truer than in my community and left a massive hole in the kiting community as he was the centre of our community. He used to always be the first person around looking for wind and he would be the first one on a down-wind. To me he was like the Norm in The sitcom Cheers. The guy that would walk into the bar and everyone would shout Norm.
When you asked Johan how’s it going, his famous saying was ‘Between a bottle and a label’. I still don’t know what that meant but it sounded cool when he said it. He was the guy that everyone loved. He was my best salesman. If someone came in to enquire about kiting and Johan was in the room, then it wouldn’t take Johan long to start telling them why they had to do it. And from their perspective, how could anyone with so much stoke be wrong. Johan loved to kite. He loved the people that kited and we loved him. He epitomized kitesurfing. He was a man who never spoke ill of other people. And he was a genuine man.
He was a man who had an amazing wife and family whom he adored. And he would never leave without telling us something about his family. He often used to tell me how lucky he was as Wilna never gave him gears about kiting or surfing and that is an amazing thing Wilna.. He pushed through when many people would have quit but when you saw the grin on his face after a kite, you could understand why.
We have lost a true gentleman of the sport and we will miss him more than he would realise but I want to thank you Wilna for allowing us to share so many happy times that will never be forgotten with your man. He will always be remembered.
You knew the things in life that made him happy and you never stopped him from doing those things and Johan never abused that privilege as he was always happy to be going home. Johan was just a happy man that had life right. I taught Johan how to kitesurf and I never never taught someone that was so enthusiastic but at the same time so bad. He kept getting his left and rights mixed up. Lessons like these can be hard to teach, as they can be draining, but with Johan it was an absolute pleasure. He always had the biggest grin on his face but would constantly curse himself for not getting it right. However, at the same time his enthusiasm and awesome nature made me want to teach him.