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Eulogy – Mary Irene Lucia Herft (van Rooyen) 14.12.1933 – 22.08.2020 Mary Irene Lucia van Rooyen was born in Sri Lanka on 14 December 1933. She was the eldest of seven children born to Eric and Hazel van Rooyen, her other siblings being Godwin, Clement, Ursula, Noeline, Glenville and Faye. Growing up as the eldest of a family during the war years, when the money was scarce, would have been difficult. Yet, mum grew up strong, educated herself, married and had seven children of her own. She was capable and strong willed. Mum was also a private person, so much so that she would have been happy to leave this earth during Covid19 to avoid any fanfare at her funeral. I’m sure if I told her just before she passed that only 10 people will be allowed to attend her funeral, her response would have been, “Son, that’s 10 too ...