In Loving Memory
We remember the passing of Godfrey Ebenezer Davids, who departed suddenly yet peacefully. Born on January 11, 1944, in Woodstock, Cape Town, and one of 3 siblings, he was the only son. Godfrey was baptised on the March 5, 1944 at St Agnes Catholic Church, Woodstock. He received his education at St. Francis Primary School in Salt River and later St. Augustine's Primary School in Parow. His secondary schooling was at St. Columbus High School, Athlone.
Godfrey was a devoted family man, a loving father to five children from two marriages—two daughters from his first marriage and three sons from his second, Jeanne. He was also a proud grandfather to nine and a great-grandfather to three.
After high school, Godfrey initially pursued an apprenticeship in carpentry, but his profound passion for the sea and the shipping industry soon took precedence. In the 1960s, he embarked on his maritime journey with Safmarine as a "Chippie," or ship's carpenter. Though he briefly worked as a carpenter for Murray & Steward, his undeniable love for the ocean led him back to Safmarine in the early 1970s.
Driven by an aspiration to become a Navigating Officer, Godfrey attended maritime school at the Training Centre for Seamen, then part of the Peninsula Technikon (Pentech) Campus in Bellville. In the early 1980s, he achieved his South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) Coastal Certificate of Competency, also known as a Mate's Ticket. He later advanced to obtain his Master's Coastal Certificate of Competency, subsequently serving with distinction as a 2nd Navigating Officer for the world's largest diamond mining company until his retirement.
Godfrey was an extraordinary individual with a remarkable ability to absorb and retain vast amounts of information, which he could recall with effortless ease. This exceptional capacity for knowledge made him truly intelligent and insightful. He also possessed a gift for sharing his understanding, making him an excellent communicator and a natural teacher.
Beyond his intellectual pursuits, Godfrey was a talented and accomplished photographer and building draftsman, showcasing a keen eye for capturing beauty and significant moments through his lens and respectively designing homes and building structure modifications.
His creative interests extended to the world of cinema, as he was an avid enthusiast of movies and filmmaking. Godfrey's insatiable curiosity, exceptional memory, and passion for sharing knowledge, combined with his artistic talents, truly made him a remarkable individual.
In his later years, at 72, he took on the role of primary caregiver for his ailing wife, Jeanne, a testament to his profound dedication, until her passing in 2022. Godfrey's distinguished career and rich personal life are a testament to his unwavering dedication, hard work, and deep love for the sea.
He passed away suddenly yet peacefully in the arms of his youngest and eldest son, and in the presence of his best friend, his grandson. His enduring legacy will be cherished by his children, grandchildren, family, friends, and the entire maritime community.
Godfrey's death was a result of long-standing cardiovascular disease. His advanced age of 80 contributed to the overall frailty of his heart. The underlying conditions of chronic hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, along with a history of a quadruple bypass in his late 40s and multiple coronary artery stents, led to a state of cardiac exhaustion and failure.
Final Resting Place
Godfrey Ebenezer Davids passed away on December 8, 2024, between 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM, on what would have been his wife Jeanne’s 76th birthday. His funeral service was held on January 11, 2025, which would have been his 81st birthday. His service was also held at Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church in Lansdowne, Cape Town. Father Christopher Sharpe officiated. He was then interred alongside his wife, Jeanne, in the church’s Garden of Remembrance.
Both Jeanne and Godfrey chose aquamation, a water-based cremation process utilising alkaline hydrolysis, provided by one of South Africa’s largest funeral homes. The same process chosen by Nobel Peace Laureate, the late Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu. It is truly heart-warming to know that their choice reflected a desire to contribute to environmental sustainability, helping to secure a better future for their loved ones and generations to come.