Brian Young’s Life Journey 11 August 2008



  1. School & Childhood

    1. Evacuated during WW11, lived above a pub

    2. Early family legends of his monkey Babong; Jack gave him condensed milk in cot, Nan came home to a fluffy, sticky baby!

    3. Boarding school from age 12

    4. Straight A’s except for singing, a genetic trait skipped a generation to grandson Stuart

  2. University 1954-1961

    1. Studied Metallurgy B.Sc; M.Sc; PhD, self deprecating about achievements

    2. Crew Hall: stayed with Peter Fewell, Mark Glossop (from Cambridge to coal mining!)

    3. Peter wrote a letter asking if he could date sister Dorothy!

    4. Ethos of being smart, work hard and try your best is an unbeatable combination

  3. Parent

    1. “The love of a family is like the room you grew up in…..the size is known but never measured. It is the love from which all other love flows”

    2. Very supportive father, asked that we try and do best, did not put overt pressure on us

    3. Supported Kirsten in her lifelong passion for horses, bought first horse “Naval Blunder” that could not jump over matchsticks

    4. Loved to watch Alastair & Claire compete on horses, either in the arena or at polo-crosse being hooligans

    5. Supported me in rugby, cricket, gliding

    6. Very enthusiastic in supporting me on AFS Argentina

    7. Supported Kirsty & I through university, watched rugby (along with the WAG’s and a few stray dogs!)

  4. Husband

    1. Caring and devoted

    2. Provided for all needs, then and now, Sara does not need to worry

    3. Travelled to Springs for 11 years to assist family rather than make us move from schools and friends

  5. Grandparent

    1. Kids loved Oupie/Town granddad, Oupie loved them

    2. Loved the family holidays of “Cheerful Chaos” with 10 conversations simultaneously at meal times, never a cross word spoken, this was his highlight and sense of achievement that we all got on tremendously well with no petty jealousy

    3. Visited Tess & I all across Europe

    4. Geriatric Au Pair services when we moved from UK to germany as Nic doing deal in Germany, no time to pack

    5. Loved his in laws Croggy & Tess, always appreciated their support and personalities

  6. Interests

    1. Reading always a passion

    2. Tennis at school and Varsity, as well as rugby

    3. Gliding : Cruickshanks in Bloem - Tempe air base

    4. Running

    5. Photography

    6. Woodwork

    7. Squash: Chamber of Mines friends Fyfe’s, Adamsons, Passmores

    8. Tree Society: camping in the bushes watching the trees migrate!

    9. Travel: on all 7 continents

      1. Photos of him on frozen lake in Sweden just after I was born

      2. Great Wall of China

      3. Japan, Korea, USSR ( before the wall came down and ANC illegal in 1989)

      4. USA, Canada, Australia

      5. Tuscany & South of France, wanted to restudy at Wits

      6. Galapagos

      7. Antartica: penguins are stinky!, Ushuaia

      8. Mach Pichu

      9. Nazca Culture of Peru: drew lines and condor shapes from hot air balloons?



  1. Attitude

    1. Even when ill, disappointed that could not go on lots of SKI holidays, but acknowledged that life with cancer was still far better than the alternative and viewed by all as being positive and an interesting person to talk to!



Pops, on your last great journey, we hope that you are floating above the world, serene and all seeing, content that you lived a full and great life, and will be sorely missed by all who have been privileged to have known you

In closing, an insight through the eyes of a child, Camerons comment at dinner that “Opie is not dead, he is cunningly concealed amongst us” and that your memory lives on!

A Eulogy to Brian.