MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The Mossel Bay and South Western Districts (SWD) Cricket communities are mourning the death of a beloved former SWD administrator, pastor and Mossel Bay resident, Nicolas ‘Gerry’ Gertse (62), who passed away on Thursday 25 June.
A former educator, Gertse served as principal at Bontebok Primary School in Swellendam and later in his career as the principal of Garden Route Primary School in Mossel Bay.
In a tribute posted on its Facebook page, Garden Route Primary said Gertse was a mentor, a leader, a servant of education, and a source of inspiration to all who had the privilege of knowing him. “His unwavering dedication to his learners, staff and community left an unforgettable mark on our school.”
According to SWD Cricket, Gertse had served as a secretary for the SWD Cricket Board between 1995 and 1999, and was also a non-independent member of the board of directors of SWD Cricket, a not-for-profit company, since its establishment in 2014.
Gertse was a cricket player himself. During his playing career, he played for the Sussex Cricket Club and later served the club as an executive committee member and chairperson.
In his tribute, the CEO of SWD Cricket, Albertus Kennedy, honoured Gertse as a respected administrator.
“I had the privilege to serve with Gerry in both instances - at the former SWD Cricket Board, on which we were both members of the executive committee, and in 2014, when he served as a director. He had a calm and collected approach in meetings, something that is often needed in heated debates, and for that he earned respect,” he said.
The Mossel Bay Municipality also shared a tribute to Gertse and his family, writing that the example he set would continue to inspire the communities he served.
A memorial for Gertse will be held at the Greenhaven Church in Great Brak River, where he served as a pastor, on Wednesday 1 July, and at the Apostolic Faith Mission Church in Mossel Bay on Thursday.
His funeral will take place at the Apostolic Faith Mission Church at 10:00 tomorrow, 4 July.
Mossel Bay Advertiser attempted to contact Gertse’s family for comment, but they could not be reached by the time of going to press.
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