Two weeks after arriving in Canada, my mom and dad were introduced to each other in the New Apostolic Church as they both attended the Toronto West congregation which at the time was on Dupont Avenue. Dad was impressed with this beautiful young lady and with some encouragement asked her out for coffee. When he apologized for not having a car, she responded: "well, there are street cars!" Dad thought then "that's the girl I'm going to marry!" Now at the time dad's idea of the girl he wanted to marry was a down to earth, reserved, and respectable girl, which mom was but also a simple, introverted somewhat antisocial country girl who didn't wear makeup, did not polish her nails and liked to live in remote locations. Well, mom was the complete opposite to that; she grew up in a big city, liked to be in fashion, wore lipstick, polished her nails and was surrounded by friends. However, it was love at first sight! That is from dads point of view...for mom, well she needed to see his persisitence and commitment...and the rest is history!

My mom was born on the 26th of March 1937 to Johannes Cornelius and Nucenty Meyer in the Western Cape, Suburban Woodstock near Cape Town South Africa. As the eldest daughter of seven children of a New Apostolic family, she grew up happy with her three brothers and two sisters. At a very young age, mom learned from her own mother the value of a dollar, how to live on fewer means and also economize. She also learned the values of duty, justice and respect, which would stay with her all her life.

There are some interesting facts that you may or may not know about my mom. When she was very young, she wanted to be a ballerina, and later on a flight attendant. She would have liked to have played the piano, but her parents could not afford music lessons. As a child, my mom liked to read Nancy Drew mystery books.

My mom was active in the church and volunteered as a Sunday School Teacher. After completing her high school, she attended a secretarial course in Cape Town College, specializing in shorthand, typing and bookkeeping. Very focused, she received an award of excellence in shorthand. After college, her first job in the city, was working as a secretary for the National Industrial Council for the Printing and Newspaper Industry. She often spoke of her desire to travel and progressively saved towards her goal. Eventually she joined the Overseas Visitors Club which enabled her to realize her dreams to travel around the world.