MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Well-known Mossel Bay resident Sue Furness passed away on Sunday, 23 June.
She was diagnosed with cancer in January and the disease spread quickly. Sue passed away peacefully at 01:20 at Life Bay View Private Hospital.
The funeral is at 11:00 this Friday, 28 June, at the Mossel Bay Methodist Church in Queen Street.
Sue leaves her husband, Michael Furness, the couple’s son Mark and his wife Giovanna and their son, Michael Edgar. Sue is also survived by her sister, Marie Francis, and her aunt, Alet Erasmus.
The Furnesses own the longstanding business in town, Bardins Jewellers, and Mark Furness is a Mossel Bay town councillor.
Sue was born in Noupoort on 20 June 1945 and named Susanna Elizabeth Bonthuys. When she was three years old her family relocated to Mossel Bay.
She attended a Catholic girls’ convent and then Point High School. Sue was an exchange student in the United States in the 1960s.
After studying law at Stellenbosch University she moved back to Mossel Bay and worked for Searle’s Housing. Sue then joined Bardins Jewellers, which was her parents’ business.
On 19 April 1980 she married Michael Furness, who was a Mossel Bay local. Their only child, Mark, was born in 1983. Mark manages the family’s two jewellery shops.
Sue and her husband Michael were active members of the Mossel Bay Methodist Church and were also involved with Rotary for a period. Sue was also engaged in benevolent work in her private capacity.
Mark says: “My mom loved travelling. She had a keen eye for jewellery, fashion and art and did the buying for our jewellery shops.
“She was always a prim and proper lady. She loved attractive clothing and was always well turned out.”
The family is extremely grateful to all who attended to Sue while she was ill: Dr Riaan Marais, Dr Francois Retief and all the staff of Ward 4 at Life Bay View Private Hospital. They also thank all the other staff at Life Bay View who attended to Sue. Mark explains that Sue had a lung condition and was a frequent visitor to the hospital even prior to being diagnosed with cancer.
He says Elize Misland was also a great help to Sue. “Elize took care of my mom over the last few years. She assisted her around the house.”
Mark concludes: “Thank you to the community of Mossel Bay and to the women’s stokvel, of which my mom was a member, for your support. Thank you also to the staff of Mossel Bay Funeral Services.”
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