Mama Gugushe a doyen of nursing
Sister spent decades serving her community and patients at Bara
The death of Madge Maleshane Gugushe is not only a loss to her family and community, but also to the nursing fraternity.
Gugushe, who was buried at Croesus Cemetery in Johannesburg yesterday, spent her working life as a nursing sister at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital.
She was laid to rest at the same cemetery where her sister and brother-in-law were buried.
Mama Gugushe, as she was affectionately known by her family, friends and patients, died peacefully in her sleep on the evening of International Women’s Day, Thursday, March 8, at her home in Dube Village, Soweto.
Mama Gugushe was born 100 years ago – on November 13 1917 – and raised in Alexandra, northern Johannesburg.
She was one of five children of the late Sarah and Zacharia Mokhele.
Mama Gugushe died shortly after she celebrated 75 years of marriage to her 104year-old husband, Dr Richard Gugushe – a former school teacher and vice-principal at Orlando High, school inspector and founder rector of the University of Johannesburg Soweto Campus.
She went to the prestigious Inanda Seminary for Girls in KZN before enrolling towards a nursing qualification at the King Edward Hospital in Durban.
Apart from her husband, Gugushe also leaves behind her daughter Mama Thandi and son Prof Tshepo Gugushe, four grandchildren as well as great grandchildren.
May her soul rest in peace!
She died shortly after celebrating 75 years of marriage to husband Dr Richard Gugushe