PROFESSOR Adam Small’s widow yesterday recollected her late husband’s phenomenal life and their 46 years of marriage.
“We have so many wonderful memories together. Today I am remembering all the good things, and celebrating his life,” said Rosalie Small, her sorrow evident in her voice.
The news of her husband’s death came as a shock to their family.
He died in Kingsbury Hospital in Claremont in the early hours of Saturday after a complication during vein bypass surgery.
“He went in for an operation on Friday and when he came out of the theatre, he looked as good as anyone could.
“I left at about 7pm, and didn’t think for one moment that anything would go wrong.
“At around 11.50pm, the hospital called and said Adam wanted his family there.
“My son and I went through, and my daughter came as well. At around 3pm, his sugar level plummeted, and we were asked to leave the room.
“I paced up and down, up and down. The doctors then opened the door and said he passed away.
“I said, ‘I cant believe it’.”
After a pause, she said: “He went peacefully. There was no struggle. It looked like he fell asleep.”
Small, 67, was the rock in her late husband’s life.
Adam Small had been married previously and got divorced in 1968.
He had two sons from that marriage, John and Leopaldt.
In 1969, he married Rosalie, and the couple had two children, Peter and Zaidee.
“Adam’s contribution to literature, not only Afrikaans literature, will be remembered. He took a language that people speak (Kaaps), and made people realise that it is a full-fledged language that it is not inferior.
“Afrikaaps is a language in its own right – people born speaking it, they live it, and they die with it.
“Adam was also one of the most compassionate people I have ever met.
“He would never send hungry people who came knocking on the door, looking for food, away. He would always make them a sandwich himself.
“He also had enormous love for his family. He loved me and his children unconditionally,” Rosalie said.
The authorities are still running an autopsy, and a date for his funeral has not been decided.
Rosalie said a private cremation and a public memorial service would be planned.
@FrancescaJaneV