All of us, from all over the world, have been privileged to share Steph's journey through life. He loved his family and friends devotedly and would have wanted us to celebrate his life and carry on with the journey. It begins now with the sharing of special memories and photos. Steph had a joyful and adventurous life. He genuinely cared for all of us and always made sure to know everything about us. He was a rock of strength for his family. During his life, Steph touched all our lives in some way. Please help carry his legacy forward and post any photos or stories you would like to share.
ELS Memorial - YouTube ▶ 8:34 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMO6olib0go
In lieu of flowers/gifts, we ask you to give to the boys education fund at http://go.fidelity.com/7qgf. If you get an error message, clear your browser history and try again. The site is a bit glitchy if you been to the page and try to go back into it.
Or you can make a donation check payable to Fidelity Investments and mail to:
Fidelity Investments
P.O. BOX 770001
Cincinnati, OH 45277-0015
It is important that you include the Fidelity 529 account number and place it in the memo link of the check, the account number is #617923362, Johannes Els account but the funds will go to both boys for their college education. Individual checks must not exceed $2,500.
If you would like to deliver a meal for Jocelyn and boys, please go to this link https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/952v2k
Tributes
Leave a tributeLike everyone, I was shocked to hear of his passing; looking at the pictures and just remembering him I am reminded as we all are of just how lucky we were to have known him. May he always live in your hearts and may you remember him with pride, for you all have much to be proud of.
I worked with Stephan at Cox for several years and everyday you could count on Stephan to model the traits and characteristics of an exemplary leader and co-worker.
Stephan always balanced his knowledge and expertise with a genuine concern and respect for people, he was kind and caring. He listened and he was always willing to teach and/or explain his ideas, his recommendations and his concerns.
He will be dearly missed and always remembered. I am very sorry for your loss.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the Els family.
To Jocelyn, Stephan Louis and Hannes – we are so sorry for your loss. Please let us know if we can help in any way and at any time and know that we will always be here for you in any way you need us.
Stephan – rest in peace, our good friend, we will not say goodbye as we know we will see you again. All our love, Lee and Carryn
It was a typical early Sunday afternoon up until Marcel received a call from a close friend with sad news... He informed Marcel one of our friends, Stephan, who was in South Africa visiting his sick mother, suddenly passed away during a jog.
When Marcel broke the news to me, I couldn't believe it! He had to repeat his name so many times until it finally hit me like a ton of bricks. Each time he said his name my breath escaped me, my stomach in knots and my eyes swelled with tears and the disbelief faded.
"Steph?... "
"Yes."
" Stephan?.. Our Steph? " As I repeat his name still in disbelief and in a frozen state. I thought he was mistaken, heard him incorrectly or this was a joke. But clearly as I looked at my husband's face, this was not the case.
"Stephan Els" he tells me using his last name this time.
How is this so?! Steph is one of the strongest, athletic, adventurous men I know. Any land, air, or water activity that had "extreme" in it, he did it.
I remember one of his visits he decided to go snowboarding at our local mountain resort. Unprepared and his friends unable to lend him snow gear that would fit his Goliath legs, this man went snowboarding with nothing but a sweater, jeans and a long winter trench coat. Unfortunately, he had to cut his fun short due to a hard fall. He still managed to come back dry as a bone, even with a wipe out! I would've been drenched.
As our sad Sunday went on, Marcel looked at me as I folded a mountain high of laundry and said, "life truly does go on and so does laundry".
I've had many conversations with Marcel about our dads passing, only 3 months apart from each other, and how it felt like the entire universe should stop and mourn along with us. It was almost insulting that life went on and is going on when we were in so much pain. This feeling is true for me again with the loss of Stephan. Life went on... we watched our girls play with friends, laundry got folded and we watched as Danny Willett win the Masters on the same golf course that just a few years ago Marcel and I walked together with Stephan and his wife Jocelyn. Ironically, I posted photos of that event the day before his passing.
Steph was admired by all. He was smart, artistic, adventurous, well traveled, a story teller, and probably next to me had the biggest sweet tooth. He made me and my two older kids feel welcomed when we were first introduced to Marcel's ginormous South African friends... Ok we're Asian, so everyone was ginormous to us but really, he was a big guy! He was one of the few people that took the time to get to know you. He was probably the only person that actually "took the time"... Not with a text but with a phone call. Not on any social media but an actual visit. He took the time to be present with whomever he was with and truly enjoyed the moment. Above all, Stephan was a loving and caring husband and father.
I will forever cherish our last visit this past December. I will miss planning for our families to be together for Thanksgiving this year. I will miss our conversations, hearing him say my name in that deep friendly voice. I will miss him teasing me or I teasing him and his "bromance" with Marcel. I will miss him dearly.
I have been blessed with his constant friendship, having him as Hannah's godfather and will be forever grateful for bringing his family into our lives.
Rest in peace Stephan. When they lay you to rest Friday, life will go on as sad as it is, except there will be no laundry done. Only a braai, as you did every Friday in celebration of the weekend, and a good bottle of wine in your honor to celebrate you and your amazing life.
I'm truly truly blessed that he was a friend I could reach out to with questions and he would do the same and you felt personally responsible to ensure you answered his question with the most complete information because he would have done the same thing for you.
Stephan, you are missed however we will have a beer together again one day.
" I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side, spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone."
Gone where?
Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.
And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone,"
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!"
And that is dying.... "
Sail well my friend. If Heaven has water, I know you are already on it! You will be the North Sail of mine and many others for years and years to come. We will miss your beautiful smile and patient help and open heart but are stronger forever for the time we spent together with you.
My name is Danielle and I worked with and for Stephan at Cox Communications. Stephan was not only a great mentor but my friend. I truly enjoyed working with him. When one spends so much time with a group of people day after day they slowly become your family, and that's exactly what Stephan was to us, family. I always enjoyed hearing stories of his trips back to South Africa, his boys, and his beautiful wife – nothing made him smile more (even during a work crisis) than talking about Jocelyn and his boys. I cannot even begin to imagine the pain you must be going through right now, but please know, you have a group of people praying for your healing and comfort.
Stephan was loved by so many and will be extremely missed.
All my love and prayers, Danielle.
Cheers, to Stephan.
My prayers are with his family during this difficult time. Stephan will be missed and remembered forever.
I will cherish the memories of our joined projects at Cox. Stephan for sure was an inspiring and warm person to work with.
Although he claimed a shared Dutch connection, it took me many efforts to let him pronounce my last name correctly.
I will keep him to his promise for a joined mountain bike ride, one day…
Jocelyn, Stephan Louis and Hannes – we love you dearly. It's no surprise such a wonderful family has so many friends, and we're happy to be counted among them. Anything we can do, just ask.
Chris, Mina, Ian and Marin
I've worked with Stephan for around 10 years at Cox. Stephan was a caring, warm hearted leader and a great friend. During stressful times he always brought perspective, enthusiasm and a supportive spirit. He is a true role model. I especially remember the loyalty and kindness he showed toward co-workers. He will be greatly missed.
On the 10th April 2016 he gave those orders that it will be our friend, brother and father, Stephan Els's last act on earth.
Steph was always a radiant man with an enthusiastic personality and a contagious smile. Steph was a total friend. We could trust him with literally everything, his support, understanding, reasoning, level headedness, optimism and commitment to his friends, which we will always cherish.
Together with his love, integrity, honesty and forthright manner, his faith and respect towards all, especially towards his parents and wife Jocelyn, was something special.
The Lord made a decree that a gentle giant exchanged this world for eternal life.
Rest in peace our friend your memories are forever entrenched in our minds.
We thank God that we had the privilege to know Steph for 36 years
From all his South African Brothers.
To Jocelyn, Stephan Louis, and Hannes, I am so deeply sorry for your loss. Know that we will always be here for you.
Leave a Tribute
swinging bench
swinging bench
Cox Football Pool
A few years back Stephan began to participate in our inter-office college football gameday contest – a college football pick-em contest, strictly for fun, that we do every fall.
Stephan professed to know nothing about football, being from South Africa, and assured us he would be as bad at the picks as all of the rest of us.
He’s won the contest 3 out of the last 4 years and steadfastly refused to tell us his formula for picking the games.
He came in 2nd the one year he didn't win.