Obituaries Laurence Bam (1944-2018)
C
arl Laurence Bam (BA 1966, BA Hons 1981, MA 1993), or simply Bam as he was known to nearly everyone who knew him, died after a long struggle with failing health. One of the first things for which he will be remembered was his loyalty to old friends. It says a great deal about his relationships that many of his friendships went back over 60 years. His consistency, integrity, lack of pretension and sardonic humour were valued by all who knew him. Bam was a powerful presence, larger than life. He was always prepared to challenge accepted authority, whether it was intellectual, moral or bureaucratic. This sometimes brought him into direct conflict with the world. But whatever the outcome, he never compromised his integrity. He
had a capacity to cut through anything that sought to mystify, muddy or confuse, and get to the heart of an issue. Bam saw himself first and foremost as a teacher. He devoted the years he spent in the English department at JCE to enthusing his students with his reverence for the critical role of language in education. Without accumulating the usual academic plaudits, he was one of South Africa’s foremost researchers in applied linguistics. Material rewards meant little to him. His rewards were to be found in the disinterested pursuit of knowledge and imbuing young lives with intellectual curiosity. The huge impact he had is borne out by messages paying tribute to him from former Bryanston High pupils. The following give a flavour of the
Laurence Bam
regard in which he was held as a mentor and teacher: “Very occasionally someone comes into and through our lives and influences us so greatly, and so positively, that they are never forgotten. Laurence was one such man.” “Thank God for the greatest teacher ever. Inspirational and dedicated to his vocation. He taught me the beauty of the English language as well as how to stand up for myself with dignity and not to give in to bullies.” He leaves his wife Heather, daughters Billy and George, and granddaughter Carly. Source: Michael Rice
Liz Chase (1950-2018)
E
lizabeth Muriel (Liz) Chase was a Johannesburg College of Education and Wits staff member from 1983 until her retirement in July 2015. She was a member of the Zimbabwean hockey team that won the country’s first gold medal at the Olympic Games, in 1980 in Moscow, and had also played for Wits and Southern Transvaal. She joined Wits in 2000 when the JCE merged with the
88 W I T S R E V I E W M A G A Z I N E
University. One of her legacies as a sports administrator at Wits is the hockey turf that was opened in 2014, for which she helped raise funds. It has made a great difference to the sport locally; the World Hockey League semi-finals were hosted at this facility in 2017. She also organised the USSA squash tournament in 2015 despite her illness. She has been described as “great fun to be with,
a larger than life character, helpful, kind, passionate, professional and respectful”. In addition to her skills as a player, she contributed stability, continuity, mentorship and guidance to students on the field and in the lecture hall. Liz is survived by her partner, Clare Digby. Source: Adrian Carter, Wits Sport; The Times
