Roodepoort mourn former mayoress (93)

The goddaughter of the late Veronica Turner (née Van der Vyver), who was a former mayoress of Roodepoort, approached the Record to pay tribute to the mother, grandmother and influential resident of Florida, Roodepoort.

Veronica Rona Turner, born on 24 March 1920, passed away on 3 September 2013 at the ripe age of 93 at the Fairlands Retirement Village, where she had lived for the last few years.

Veronica Fourie, named after her godmother with whom she had a close relationship, told the Record that she feels sad to lose her but that she learned a lot from her.

“She taught me to respect others and love wholeheartedly, and Roodepoort will just not be the same without her.”

Turner lived in Roodepoort all her life as the daughter of former Roodepoort Urban District Board Member and Mayor Ben van der Vyver, after whom a tennis court and street in Witpoortjie was named. She enjoyed modelling and married her first husband, Chris Loretz in 1941.

“Loretz unfortunately succumbed to a motorcycle accident early in their marriage and Rona married Frank Turner in 1948.

“She was a beautiful, strong-willed and passionate woman and served as the mayoress of Roodepoort from 1950 to 1952.

“Friendships are one of the things that improve with age and I would say we were closer than ever just before she passed away,” Fourie said to the Record.

According to Fourie, her godmother enjoyed reading and watching films, which she had done until shortly before her passing.

In an online notice of Turner’s death, daughters Elfreda (Florida resident) and Gail (now resides in Nashville, Tennessee) said that they were “so privileged to have known [Veronica] until the age of 93”.

“Broken hearted to say goodbye to you, mom, we love you so much and will always carry you in our hearts [sic].”