Alfred became a grandfather for the first time to "The Love Of His Life" Claudia Bronwyn Wheeler. He said she looked like a Nagapie, which made me cry! They went on to form a bond that is truly eternal. The apple of her Grampies eye, Claudia is now (2009) 14 years old and growing into a beautiful young lady. She misses her Grampie more than words could ever express... You are the brightest star in the sky!
The birth of his first Grandson was celebrated on the same day as his fathers birthday. Sean Patrick Perry was born on New Years Day 2002. Sean would have the honour of knowing and fondly remembering his Grampsie and till today often gets up to the mischief his Grampsie taught him...
The birth of Ryan Edward Perry, second Grandson and the naught monkey his Grampie grew so fond of. Ryan did not want anyone other than his Grampie on visits to his grandparents. He would pull Grampies beard and play with his Grampie when he was well enough to do so. He often pokes his food onto his knife and pops it into his mouth - just the way Grampie used to. All three grans children often look up at the sky to find the brightest star and smile knowing their Grandpa is looking down on them from Heaven!
Born Alfred Beck on 9 November 1949 in Kimberley, South Africa to parents Oswald and Muriel Beck. Alfie grew up in the friendly town of Cullinan where he got up to tones of mischief and later married my mother, Hettie on 18 December 1970. Soon followed by the birth of his son Morne', daughter Michelle and of course me, Odette. Alfie (as he was fondly called) had a mine accident in 1977 in which he sustained substantial damage to his leg in a rock fall. For many years he battled through operations in which doctors tried to repair the damaged leg. Alfie's spirit was altered but not destroyed. He went on to battle the storm for many years to come, with dignity and grace. The years on the mines were tough on Alfie and he was eventually boarded from his duties on the mine and sent into an early retirement due to his poor health. Always the family man, it is his family he drew closest to him although there were many terbulant family feuds over the years. No one can imagine what his life was like being in constant pain. Hettie took care of Alfie and was a devoted wife till the very end. He tought the people in his life courage and respect and most importantly the importance of dignity in both life and now in death! My dad was not always the easiest of people, but that goes without saying if you knew any of us Becks, but he was a great man. He left his wife, us children and his grand children with many fond and irreplacable memories. He will sincerely be missed and loved for eternity.
Alfie Passed away on January 20, 2007 after undergoing an amputation of the leg damaged so many years ago. He left us with the most wonderful smile when atlast he no longer suffered the pain he lived with so many years.
We honour him now and trust he is in Heaven drinking tea with my beloved Grandparents and Uncles who have passed before him! Dadda, Gran and Grandpa Beck, Ouma and Oupa Diaz, Oupa Smit, Wally, Johan and Adri are all having that cuppa and looking down on us! R.I.P.
On 17 February 2007 we went to the mountains in the Eastern Cape and scattered my dads ashes in the Barkly Pass! Guided by the signs around us we said our final farewell! He was happy in the mountains where mist and clouds line the pass, and it is there in the pass we have left him to rest in the peaceful surroundings where he felt most at home.
