GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - John Savage lost the valiant battle he was fighting against cancer and joined his Lord and Saviour.
John Savage lived in the Alexandria, Grahamstown area in the Eastern Cape. A son to Donald and Betty and brother to his two sisters, Penny, and Judith. He attended school at St Andrews College (Grahamstown).
He was a true son of the Eastern Cape and after completing school, spent many years in Alexandria and the surrounds. Here, he worked and played cricket in several of the district teams.
He finally settled down in Port Elizabeth where he met Elizabeth (Liz). They were married in 1970 and had two sons, Wayne, and Gary in 1974 and 1978, respectively. In 1985 he was transferred to Graaff-Reinet. It is here that he would spend the remainder of his life and contribute greatly to all that he would meet and befriend in the Karoo.
John had a passion for life. This was evident in the way he committed his time and energy to the clubs within the Karoo. He was an active member of the Graaff-Reinet Lions Club and served as Chairperson for several years. He also served as the chairperson for the Graaff-Reinet Scout’s Troop. He was an avid supporter of school and club sport in the district. He represented the Bethesda Road Cricket Club for several years and many a batsman was undone by the guile of his slow right arm seamers. He served as the Karoo Cricket and Eastern Province Country Districts Convenor of Selectors and contributed significantly to Karoo cricket post his retirement from the game.
This photo of John Savage was taken June 2019 at Lord’s – Cricket Ground in London, England – The Home of Cricket.
In 1992 he purchased Brian Band’s Sports in Graaff-Reinet. It is from here that he spent the next 28 years of his life expressing his love of sports and serving the Graaff-Reinet community. Very few people were able to walk by without a quick chat, and in doing so, Brian Bands became a hub of local news, a place where people arranged to meet each other, or to drop off packages for farmers to collect when next they were in Graaff-Reinet. And then there were the many favours done for parents, whose boarding school children needed an emergency pair of takkies, a cricket bat, etc. Uncle John was always more than happy to assist and save the day! He could always be seen at the side of a cricket, rugby, or hockey field, cheering on the Graaff-Reinet sports teams. No task was too great and his generosity and tireless devotion to the community was profound.
John and Liz were married for 53 years, and their love and devotion to one another serves as an inspiration to all his family. His love for his family has left an indelible mark on all his children and grandchildren. He was a devoted Dad and Oupa to Gary, Wayne, Belinda, Shelley, Sofia, Matthew, and Bradley. Furthermore, he was a fatherly / grandfatherly figure to many kids that looked up to him and respected him for the way he was always willing to listen and support them. His Christian values were important to him and both he and Liz served in the Graaff-Reinet Church community. His relationship with the Lord gave him the strength needed to remain positive for the duration of his health battles.
He lived life to the full and was always there to support his friends and family. We will always remember his love for life, his incredible companionship, and the legendary roast meals that he would prepare for friends and family.
He loved music and Liz and his children grew up to the sounds of the Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, Neil Diamond, CCR and many another classics from the 60’s and 70’s. He was an even-tempered, calm and patient man, EXCEPT when the Boks were playing. Many a referee copped his ire during a Bok game of rugby and his excitement and passion during those games will be sorely missed by all. Enjoy watching the RWC from up above this year and go easy on the refs!
He left an indelible mark on all that he met. He remains a legend and will always be fondly remembered!
Rest in peace.
Remembered by his family and friends.
