KAROO NEWS - Henri John McNaughton, 89, a passionate local farmer all his life, died on 15 July, just two weeks before his 90th birthday.

Henri died at the Paradise Manor Care Home in Knysna of natural causes.

He was born on 1 August 1935 to John McNaughton and Elise Pienaar of Fonteinplaats, destined to be a fourth generation merino and angora farmer in the Graafff-Reinet district, the eldest of four brothers.

Henri attended St. Andrew’s College in Grahamstown until 1953 after which he returned to fulfil his agricultural dream. He married a nurse from Kendrew, Jean Cawood, in 1960, and the couple had two sons, Ronald and Adrian, before Henri was sadly widowed in 1981.

He found comfort in marrying a teacher, Charné Naude, in 1984 with whom he had twins, Mark and Christopher, who both passed away before adulthood. 

Henri devoted his life to shepherding his family and livestock, which despite the many obstacles, saw the growth of his generational legacy of McNaughton farming in Graaff-Reinet.

He was a lifetime and honorary member of Merino SA and served on several councils, including the Soil Conservation Committee. 

After 54 diligent years of farming, Henri retired to Sedgefield in 2007, where he lived for 17 years, until passing away in the nearby elderly care facility.

Henri was a clever storyteller and passed on many comic tales of every day farm life to his children and grandchildren. Only interrupted by his hearty laugh, people listened in awe to his memories of his childhood in wartime Graaff-Reinet, the shenanigans he got up to in school and curious events on the farm.

He is survived by his wife, two sons and five grandchildren, alongside his three younger brothers, James, Andrew and Paul. He will be remembered for his vivacity in the kraal and his loving warm laugh.

His memorial service was on 26 July at the Karoo Community Church.

He will be laid to rest in the family graveyard in a private ceremony later this year.

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