Grandfather Bop

Today is our grandfather Roy Sater's birthday. Mom called him Pop; Heidi and I called him Bop.

Roisen Severin Sater was born on 14 October 1899. His family was Norwegian but he was born in South Africa. Mom adored her father and he was very special to Heidi and me. He took us to the theatre (my passion for musical theatre comes from him), to grown-up restaurants (duck a la bigarade: yum), to the Wanderers Club where he was Bowls Club Treasurer for years, and to the Rand Easter Show where he was a member. He bought me some of my most memorable childhood story books. He collected excellent South African art and his collection is now shared between all his grandchildren, from Johannesburg to London to Melbourne.

Dad always acknowledged Bop's generosity to him and Mom as a young married couple. Every year Mom and her brother Geoff would celebrate their father's birthday. This year is the first year that Mom is not here to do this, so I will celebrate the day to honour Bop, but also for Mom and Dad.

I have many photographs of Bop, both as a young and an old man, but I will include only two in this post. I hope that we have time to think of him and write of him many times again in the future.