It is with profound distress and sorrow, that the Union Schools extends its condolences to the family and friends of the late Karin Marais.
The heart-wrenching news of her unexpected passing on Thursday morning, 8 July, at the age of 57, sent shockwaves reverberating through our town.
Karin was a much loved and respected member of the Graaff-Reinet community and enjoyed a long association with Union with all four of her children having matriculated from the school.
During her tenure as a parent of the school, she served as chairperson of both the Union Preparatory and Union High Governing Bodies – the latter from 1997 to 2011.
In addition to this, she was a fixture in many Union initiatives throughout the years, playing an integral part in the running of the gardens at the school, the realization of the AstroTurf project, managing staff appointments, hostel affairs, finances and fundraising events, all to the long-term benefit of the learners of the school.
Even after her youngest child left Union, Karin remained a staunch supporter and tireless advocate of our learners, staff and community.
In recent times, she served on the school’s Centenary Committee, playing a vital part in the success of the school’s Centenary celebrations in 2019. At the time of her death, she still served the school as a trustee of the UHS Development Trust.
Karin’s impact reached beyond the Union Schools to the greater Graaff-Reinet community. Those who knew her well delighted in her capacity for joy, her altruistic spirit and the boldness with which she spoke about her Christian faith.
The Union Schools and the entire Graaff-Reinet will feel the gravity of this loss for a long time to come.
She was an exemplar of what it means to be of service to one’s community. She was that silent force and presence, always there and giving of herself.
She leaves a legacy of profound impact here at Union for which we owe an immeasurable debt of gratitude. We feel blessed to have had the opportunity to know this remarkable woman and to work closely with her.
“𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘳𝘴 𝘒𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴. 𝘔𝘳𝘴 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥, 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘴. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥. 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘋𝘢𝘬𝘮𝘢𝘯, 𝘌𝘭𝘻e, 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯, 𝘐𝘮𝘬𝘦, 𝘔𝘪𝘦𝘬𝘦, 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘦, 𝘚𝘦𝘢𝘯, 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘸𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦.” – 𝗠𝗿 𝗞𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻 𝗞𝗮𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻: 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆
