Local legend dead at 60
MIDDELBURG - Piet “Pad” van der Merwe, also known as Oubaas van der Merwe, sadly passed away on 30 November after a severe stroke.
Shortly before his death, Van der Merwe was thrilled to hear that a special article on his Lormar endurance ride in October at Fairview farm, would be printed in December’s Sport Endurance “EVO” Lifestyle Magazine in Italy. He shared his excitement with all his Facebook friends on the morning of November 17, just before he fell ill and was taken to hospital in Bloemfontein.
His memorial service was held on his farm, Fairview, on December 8 and was attended by loved ones, friends and acquaintances from all over South Africa, who paid tribute to this legend in the endurance world. Tommie Moolman van Riebeeck Kasteel en Van der Merwe was studente-maats op Grootfontein en het Tommie hierdie met almal teenwoordig gedeel:
“Piet het altyd met soveel humor en passie voluit en met oorgawe almal se lewens verlig. Hy het meer energie as die res van al Grootfontein se studente saam, daardie tyd gehad. Soos party mense se kersies van bo brand, het Piet se kers van bo EN onder gebrand en daardeur ‘n bitterlike helder lig gemaak hier op aarde, maar ongelukkig het sy kersie ook sodoende vinniger as ander mense s’n uitgebrand.”
Van der Merwe het nog baie planne en afsprake met mense vir die toekoms gehad.
Toe Luca, die redaktrise van Evo-tydskrif, hom meegedeel het dat hulle graag die Lormar Endurance in Oktober 2018 wil kom besoek, het hy ewe onskuldig vir haar gesê dat hy nou so opgewonde is soos ‘n kind wat die eerste keer see toe gaan!
Van der Merwe was baie lief vir sy arabier perde en sy plaas en het hy ook gereeld gespot dat hy en sy vrou Annette bietjie gaan “vakansie” hou op die plaas die naweek! Aan sy sin vir humor was daar geen einde nie.
Van der Merwe was werklik ‘n merkwaardige mens en het hy ‘n reuse impak op ongelooflik baie mense van alle ouderdomme gehad. Baie beskryf hom as die mees fantastiese mentor, rolmodel, leermeester en verseker ‘n legende.
Although Van der Merwe was taken away at the “early age” of almost 61, his legacy at Lormar Endurance will be continued by his wife, Annette and children, Pieter, Charlotte and Briers.
Van der Merwe still had a lot of plans, one of which was to ride with his bicycle all along the gravel road from Fairview to the sea. He never ever ran out of plans and still had a lot which he could not fulfil… the legend of Piet Pad will surely live on in the memories of all whose hearts he touched…