Stephanus Philippus (Fanie) VAN NIEKERK^{[1, 2, 3]}

1926 - 1951  (24 years)

• Name	Stephanus Philippus (Fanie) VAN NIEKERK
  Born	15 Aug 1926
  Gender	Male
  Died	23 Mar 1951	Lichtenburg, Transvaal, South Africa   [4]
  Person ID	I122	Lichtenburgstam
  Last Modified	7 Aug 2015

  
  

  Father	Peter Ernst Louis VAN NIEKERK,   b. 2 Dec 1899, Modderrivier, Kimberley District ,   d. 20 May 1990, Pretoria  (Age 90 years)
  Mother	Jacoba Elizabeth (Kowie) GREEFF,   b. 18 Jun 1905, Manana, District Lichtenburg, Transvaal, South Africa ,   d. 6 Dec 1989, Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa  (Age 84 years)
  Married	17 Feb 1925	Graaff-Reinet, Cape S. A.   [5]
  Family ID	F32	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Fanie died in a motor car accident in 1951 at the age of 24. He never married. Fanie was a much loved and admired cousin to Jan (G J) Greeff with whose parents he resided in Benoni. He lost a leg some years previous to his death, in a motorcycle accident between Lichtenburg and Coligny. His brother Jannie rode with him but was not badly injured. He then purchased a MG sport car in which he was travelling to his uncle in Kimberley at night when the car hit a stray cow on the road. He was killed instantly. Fanie se broer Jannie se seun Louis het sy seun na Fanie vernoem alhoewel Louis te jonk was om Fanie te ken. Neef Jan (G J) Greeff het die voorreg gehad om hom te ken en onthou hom as 'n baie geliefde en gewilde maar ook talentvolle jongman. Die verlies van sy been en sy latere dood was vir Jan baie traumaties omdat hy hom so geniet en bewonder het. Hy het byvoorbeld vir Jan in die fynste besonderhede geleer hoe om vlieërs te maak, hom vir "spins" op sy BMW motorfiets en later in sy MG TC geneem. Jan onthou nog hoedat hy en Fanie eendag vir baie kilometers in tweespoorpaadjies deur die veld gery het totdat hulle by 'n gedenkboog gekom het. Daarop het gestaan "Lughawe Jan Smuts Airport". Die internasionale lughawe was in daardie stadium nog op Palmietfontein naby Alberton maar die onthulling van die boog by die toekomstige ingang van die nuwe lughawe het al plaasgevind. Toe Fanie in 1951 oorlede is was Jan maar 8 jaar oud en hy was vir klein Jan 'n mentor, vriend, voorbeeld en held.

  
  

• Sources

  [S237] Greefdesc 150407.ged, Francois Greef, (www.Greeff.info). [S165] Lichtenburgstam.ged. [S34] HAG Ged 120708.ged, Jan Greeff. [S120] Begraafplaasregister van Manana familiebegraafplaas, Wouter du Preez. [S56] van Niekerk, Caroleen R *13 May 1934.