By Janine du Plessis
The life and times of former headmistress of Pretoria High School for Girls Beryl Mullins were recalled at a memorial service in the city on Tuesday.
Mullins, who died in December, was "a legend in her own right", according to her peers and her sisters, who said she touched the lives of thousands of people with her energy and commitment.
She held the position of headmistress from 1971 to 1988 and was in retirement when she died aged 78 at the Serene Park Retirement Centre on December 23.
Tuesday's service was held at St Wilfred's Church in Hillcrest, where Mullins was an active member of the congregation. She used to arrive early every Sunday to individually welcome everyone to the church. She also initiated an evening service for University of Pretoria students.
Verna Brown, who worked as an English teacher under Mullins, said she was no ordinary human being.
"What she stood for was clear when she organised teachers from Atteridgeville, Mamelodi, Eersterus and Laudium to hold a concert at the school during the apartheid period.
"We had never seen anything like it and neither had the then Transvaal education department. The school was reprimanded and told never to do it again.
"She also made a difference to the girls at boarding school in the early 50s when she put sweets on the pillows of those who were homesick.
"She wanted the girls to emerge with confidence and ready to take on any worthy challenge. She celebrated their successes as if they were her own.
"Mullins also made a difference to the lives of the staff under her. Several of them became principals themselves. She found it difficult to move on from the school," said Brown.
Mullins's sister, Thelma Henderson, said Mullins was a sister to be proud of. "She made many changes at the retirement home; one of the most important being the new Alzheimer's wing.
"She was a strong Blue Bulls supporter. Her hero was Naas Botha and when he retired she said rugby was never the same. Mullins loved living in Pretoria and retired here because all of her friends and interests were here," said Henderson.
Mullins started her career at the school as a physical science teacher in 1953. After going on a teacher exchange programme in England she became head of the science department.
She was promoted to vice-principal in 1968 and four years later became headmistress of the school.
Mullins introduced many new projects at the school, including the Spring Fair. Her body will be cremated at a private ceremony.
The school will hold a memorial service next Wednesday at 3pm.