ESTHER M. NAIDOO

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ESTHER M. NAIDOO (nee Godfrey) Passed away at the Grace Hospital on May 20, 2006. Born in Dundee, South Africa on March 10, 1921 and was educated in South Africa, India and the United States. She had Montessori training in India, obtained a B.A. at Drexel College in Michigan, USA, and then attended Hartford Seminary in Connecticut. She obtained a Masters Degree in Library Science at the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the Detroit Public Library. She established a library for the ML Sultan Technical College in Durban, South Africa. Esther married Jack Naidoo in 1948 in Boston; they met playing tennis on her parents' court. In 1959 she and her husband were Carnegie Fellows in the US for three years and travelled and worked together. She was predeceased by her husband Jack in 1975. She lived with Jas and Anita in London, England from 1976 until 1992 and while there enjoyed attending Wimbledon and the Chelsea Flower Show. Mum then moved to Winnipeg to live with Shireen, where she enjoyed walking in the park with the dogs. She was an avid and knowledgeable gardener, spending many hours working in her beautiful garden. She loved watching tennis and other sports. She was a worldwide traveller, a widely read woman with knowledge of literature and world politics. Mum was quietly strong and lacking in ostentation. She was a wise lady who gave of herself freely, and did not judge others nor offer unwanted advice. She treated people with innate kindness and courtesy. She had enviable fortitude and showed grace under pressure. Her sense of humour remained until the end. She will be sadly missed by her children, Shireen, Jas and Anita; grandchildren, Kieran, Aaron and Lucas; brothers, Daniel, Ivan and Edward; sisters, Irene and Prem. She was a wonderful grandmother and mother. The family would like to thank Dr. Pat Harris, Oncology Staff, Dr. R. Hamedani and staff at 3N at the Grace Hospital for their compassion care and concern. The family would also like to thank her many friends for all their visits and support. A celebration of her life will be held at the Canad Inns, (Pembina at Bishop Grandin) Ambassador Room E on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 at 2:00 p.m., with Celebrant Lee Barringer. Arrangements entrusted to: BARRINGER Funeral Services 952-7741

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 23, 2006