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January 04, 2005
Good bye, Mr Chips
Neil Emslie photographed in October 2004 shortly after his 81st birthday, schoolmaster and rugby coach, amateur dramatic teacher/producer, and ordained Deacon. An extraordinary teacher and a man whose faith was tangible.
I received the news yesterday of the death of an extraordinary schoolmaster. One who had a major impact on the lives and development of quite literally hundreds of boys in his career. He served in the South African army, in the 7/23rd Artillery in North Africa and in Italy. He returned to SA and completed his degree, then his teaching diploma, and finally settled into a career teaching senior school curriculi and coaching Rugby. Himself an Old Queens Boy, one who attended school at Queen's College in Queenstown, South Africa, he spent almost his entire teaching career at the rival school of Selborne College.
It was here that he was my own teacher of 19th and 20th Century history and of amateur dramatics. His palapable delight every time any of his "boys" visited him or achieved any distinction in their subsequent careers and his own tangible faith marked him out as a man of tremendous influence, yet of deep humility.
His beloved wife, Pam, predeceased him by some ten years, yet he never doubted that they would be reunited in death and the life to come. He died of lung cancer on new year's eve, having been diagnosed only three weeks earlier. In his dying breath he apologised to his wife for an earlier "false alarm" and died peacefully, smiling, surrounded by his children.
He leaves a son, a daughter and her family, and a lot of men who will remember him, not just with fondness, but for the very real mark he made on their lives.
"At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember him."
We know that he will rest in peace, re-united with long-passed comrades and his beloved Pam.
Posted by The Gray Monk at January 4, 2005 10:01 AM
Comments
I'm very sorry to hear of your loss. My sympathies go out to you, and to all of his other friends, and most especially to his family.
Posted by: Russell Newquist at January 4, 2005 06:28 PM
I was very sorry to hear of the death of Neil Emslie. I taught music at Selborne Boys' High School, East London in 1973 when Neil was the deputy headmaster. I also appeared in 'The Mikado' with his wife Pam, who took the leading role of Yum Yum. Pam and Neil were wonderful, warm-hearted people and I remember them both with affection and respect. My sincere condolences to Neil's family on his death.
Jean Collen
Posted by: Jean Collen at January 11, 2005 09:03 PM