MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Jen Schurr, the wife of Anglican priest, Father Ted Schurr, passed away in the frail care unit of Santos Haven senior citizens' complex in Mossel Bay on Friday, 8 March.
The news of Jen's death came as a sad blow to her family and wide circle of friends.
She had become more and more frail over the past two and a half years and she spent the last three and a half months of her life in frail care.
Jen’s requiem mass will be held at St Peter’s Anglican Church in Marsh Street, Mossel Bay, on Saturday, 16 March, at 15:00.
Close-knit family
Jennifer Lees was born in Germiston on 18 May 1946, the youngest of three children. Being part of a close-knit family, Jen's brothers John and Bob and their families meant the world to her.
Convent
She attended St Catherine’s Convent in Germiston, after which she worked as a secretary at Rand Mines in Johannesburg.
Jen met and married Ian Stuart of Paarl and moved with him to the Stuart family farm, but tragically Ian was killed in a car accident two years later. Jen worked for her brother-in-law Allan on the farm.
At this time the Anglican priest at Holy Trinity in Paarl, Father Ted Schurr, was a frequent visitor to the senior Stuarts on the farm.
Married
Ted and Jen were married in St George’s Cathedral, Cape Town, by Archbishop Bill Burnett on 23 May 1975. Ted became rector of several parishes after their marriage, including Holy Trinity Paarl, All Saints in Ficksbug and All Saints in Durbanville.
The couple had two daughters, Robyn and Sarah. Robyn has a daughter, Emily (6), and Sarah has two children, Jack (14) and Scarlet (11).
Ted and Jen's foster daughter, Rowan, very much part of their lives, accompanied them to Mossel Bay.
Rowan’s two children, Connor and Kayleigh, are now grown up and were always treasured by Jen. Connor is currently studying engineering in Germany and Kayleigh is in her fifth year, studying medicine at Stellenbosch University.
New lease of life
The Schurr family arrived in Mossel Bay in 1988 and the Parish of St Peter took on a new lease of life.
The construction of the Mossgas Refinery had begun, which led to an influx of newcomers.
Jen transformed the Sunday school and soon had more than 30 children attending. She also chaired the women’s fellowship for a number of years. She organised church flowers for major festivals, using her great talent and love of flower arranging.
She transformed both the church and rectory gardens.
Superb cook
Jen was a superb cook and her "international dinners" were extremely popular. An avid reader, she initiated the ABC Book Club, which is still active.
She accompanied Ted during five stints in Europe, when he was invited to look after Anglican parishes in Bruges, Belgium; Milan, Italy; and three times to Lugano in Switzerland. Jen made the most of these experiences and as in all their married life, was a tremendous support to Father Ted.
Jen was a wonderful and generous friend - immensely compassionate and with great understanding of the underdog. Her marvellous sense of humour often reduced her friends to helpless laughter.
She had the gift of wisdom and will be remembered with love and appreciation by all who knew her. She will be missed greatly.
May flights of angels sing her to her rest.
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