Cape Town - After dedicating her life to helping others and always sharing a smile with those who needed it the most, Petronella Magdalena Pastor, 95 – the first person of colour matron in Cape Town – has died peacefully in her home surrounded by the love of her family.
Born in Graaff-Reinet in 1927, Pastor left for Cape Town when she was 16 to pursue nursing training.
She worked at Somerset Hospital in Green Point, which has now been declared a provincial heritage site.
In 1961 she became a matron at the hospital – the first person of colour to hold such a position.
The Cape Times reported that year about Pastor’s appointment, highlighting that she had first worked as a nurse at the hospital in 1951, before becoming a Sister in 1954.
Pastor’s appointment as matron was headlined, “First Coloured Matron in Cape Appointed”.
Her daughter, Lynette Arendse, said her mother died of natural causes last week.
She described Pastor as someone who had always been a beacon of light to those around her. Pastor had acute observational skills, which allowed her to excel in her field, Arendse said.
“My mom had exceptional leadership and organisational abilities. She worked hard like that at home as well.
“It was important for her on Christmas Day, every single Christmas Day, to be (at the hospital), because those were the mothers who were not with their families.”
Arendse has received many messages from nursing Sisters who worked with her mother at the Shipley maternity unit at Somerset Hospital.
They described her as having ruled with a “velvet glove”.
Sister Juliet Adams, said: “We honour the life of a dedicated woman.
When I did my midwifery in 1977 I met this remarkable matron. Her outstanding passion for nursing was obvious.
“She was gentle, kind and soft spoken. As nurses you always fear matrons. She was different.
“She was always smiling and at ease. She had respect from everybody.
(She) was a truly special person. She will be greatly missed. My heartfelt condolences for your loss.”
Sister Chadwick wrote: “Mrs Pastor was not only Shipley’s matron but she was like a mother to staff and was always interested in the staff’s family, especially the staff’s children.
“Mrs Pastor really cared about her staff. If one of the children were sick she ordered the mother to go home to be with the child.
“And Mrs Pastor always thanked the staff if it was a busy day and the staff worked hard.
“She was always grateful for what the staff did.”
Sister Hoffman said: “It was really a pleasure to work in Shipley as a midwife and registered nurse with Mrs Pastor as the Matron in Charge.
“We were a big happy family. We worked very hard lots of times without lunch or tea but we did it with pleasure, because everybody was just happy to save the lives of mothers and babies and we were always thanked by Mrs Pastor and the sisters in charge.
“It was because of Mrs Pastor that I loved midwifery so much.
“And I know a lot of other maternity staff feel the same. It was a nice atmosphere to work in and happy times. I’m just thankful that we had such an amazing person like Mrs Pastor in charge of maternity. So soft spoken, helpful and was always there for the staff.
“We were really happy to have a wonderful person like Mrs Pastor to be our Matron in Charge. May her dear soul rest in peace.”
Pastor leaves her daughter, Lynette Arendse, and son-in-law, Dorian Arendse, whom she considered a son.
She also leaves two grandchildren, Christopher Arendse, 25, and Kristen Arendse, 28, and a great-grandchild, 3-month-old Artemis.
Christopher is a newly-graduated medical student, who said he was inspired by his grandmother’s passion.
“Gran had an elegant strength of will that allowed her to smile in the face of adversity with the grace of a queen. She taught me the value of perseverance in pursuing one’s dreams,” said Christopher.
Kirsten said: “She was the matriarch of our family but a part of our gesin in everything we did.”
The funeral service for Pastor will be held on Saturday at the Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Wittebome at 11am.
Cape Times