Kimberley, South Africa

Datnow (nee Erlanck), Marie

Marie Datnow, wife of the late Mike Datnow died July 2012

Eulogy delivered at her funeral Friday 6 July 2012:

Marie Datnow (born Erlanck) grew up in Port Alfred in the Eastern Cape. As a teenager she was active in the girl guides and a good swimmer.

She was descended from 1820 Settler stock and came to Kimberley as a young woman where she met and married Mike Datnow having converted to Judaism in the early 1950s

It is said that your Hebrew name is the channel by which life reaches you from above. In fact, the Kabbalists say that when parents name a child, they experience a minor prophecy—because, somehow, that child’s destiny is wrapped up in the combination of Hebrew letters that make up his or her name.

The Rabbis who gave Marie her Hebrew name – Rut bat Sarah certainly got it right. That name, just like that of Ruth of biblical times resonated with her personality.
In the Book of Ruth we read that during the time of the Judges when there was a famine in Israel an Israelite family from Bethlehem—Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their sons Mahlon and Chilion—emigrated to the nearby country of Moab. Elimelech dies, the sons marry two Moabite women: Ruth and Orpah and then die.

Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem. She tells her daughters-in-law to return to their own mothers, and remarry but Ruth refuses and says, "Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me." (Ruth 1:16–17)

How true this was of Marie and her beloved Mike. She truly went wherever Mike went, she truly lodged wherever he lodged, his people became her people and where he died she has died and where he is buried so we are burying her today.

Three children – Benice (dec), Norman and Trevor were born to Mike and Marie. This is how her long time friend Althea Kretzmar (mother-in-law to the late Benice) has described her:  “I am writing this as I would if I were talking to someone. Marie always told of how she was very young (I am not sure but I think she said 6 years old) when her Father died and left her Mom, Marie and twin sisters just over l year younger. Jeanette Erlanck, Marie's Mother was a woman of strong character and became the Matron of a Nursing Home, having to work full time. Marie helped in no small measure to bring up her younger twin sisters.

Marie was a most beautiful young woman and when she fell in love with Mike Datnow she converted to Judaism. She was truly an outstanding wife to her husband Mike, making a warm family home on their farm Marrick, outside Kimberley. She became a central figure in the Datnow family. Marie kept in touch with Mike's Siblings and cousins and their offspring and her home was open to all. She was a most gracious hostess always welcoming and always warm and interested. She knew about every member of the family and was interested in them and their doings.

She was also a devoted mother to Benice, Norman and Trevor. She was a very active in the Jewish life of Kimberley being a member of the Union of Jewish Women and Women’s Zionist League as well as being an active Rotary Anne and generally working for those less fortunate than herself. Her home had expanding walls and there are many young and older people who have extremely fond memories of "Auntie Marie" and her warm Hospitality.

She lost her beloved husband Mike in 1989 and then her beloved daughter Benice a couple of years later. This took a heavy toll on her but she really enjoyed her grandchildren and loved them all dearly. She was a loving, warm, giving, generous human being with no malice at all and who endured many hardships, and was always deeply loved all her family”.

She was also a person who lived her Judaism through her children and gave meaning to the phrase “ the mother rocks the cradle” since I am told it was she who dragged them away from the adventures of farm life and into cheder and ensured that they would grow up to perpetuate their Jewish heritage.

She is survived by her two sons Norman and Trevor and their families a stepson Tony, a son in law David, daughters in law Hubre, Dianne and Lizette and eight grandchildren – Janna and Samantha (daughters of Bernice and David Kretzmar), Joshua and Aaron, Gabi and Mike, Danny and Michael,

Barney Horwitz
Chairman
Griqualand West Hebrew Congregation