It really never gets easier. Our phone calls first thing on our birthday morning was my favourite part of the day. It’s hard not to have that anymore - not to hear your voice or see you smile or blow out our candles together.

Happy birthday my grams! I hope that in heaven you’re getting all the pink flowers your heart desires.

How we miss you, I can’t wait to see you one day again.

Happy heavenly Birthday Sheila mummy. I bet you have a cheeky smile on your face. it's hard to belive that it's almost 3 years. 3 years without seeing you, eating your food, laughing with you, celebrating you and just sitting with you. I miss you! Enjoy your birthday with all the angels. Love you always.

Miss you so much mum. Not the same without you. Thank you for everything. You truly was the best mother in every way. How I wish you were here. I miss your laughter. I miss hearing your voice. I miss how you protected us. I miss how you cared for us. You loved us and we knew it, saw it and felt it. I see your sisters and ma and all I see is you. All I feel is that you are not here. There's a void. An emptiness. It hasn't gotten any better over the years.

Happy heavenly birthday mum. I miss you so deeply. I wish you were here. I love you

Life without you doesn’t get easier. With every small thing that happens, we miss you more and more. Our lives are changing so much and I wish you could be here to see it all and to go through it with us.

Even still, it doesn’t feel real. I miss you but I know we’ll see each other one day.

Mum, I miss you so much it hurts. Whoever said time heals, lied. Time doesn't make it easier, you just learn to deal with it differently. The pain is always there. There's always an emptiness, a space, someone missing. Life is not the same. I miss you in so many ways. I miss hearing your voice, I miss your laugh, I miss just having you involved in the mundane day to day aspects of my life. I miss that I can't chat to you about the children, so much has happened mum. You would have been so proud. You would be bragging. As the many milestones happen, i find myself thinking of you, reminded of how you loved and supported me in my life. Remembering all the things you did for me and with me. Sometimes I feel like all I want is just to tell you about my day. You always listened. No matter what it was. You were always supportive. You were always there. You were always on my side. You hurt when I hurt, cried when I cried, laughed when I laughed. There was never a time that I needed you and you were not there. I feel guilt for not loving you better. I feel i could have and should have loved you better. You deserved so much more. I miss that you are not here. How I missed you for Ama's birthday. I can't see your family together without you there. My heart breaks every time I hear dad say how much he misses you. Mum he's not the same without you. We love him so much but he wants you.
Death is cruel. But for the hope we have in Christ. How do others grieve without that hope that Jesus gives? I lay here thinking of how undeserving and how privileged I was to have you in my life and at the same time how incredibly broken I am to not have you in my life now. I know that you are in a place where you are complete, no pain, no tears, no hurt. I know there's no better place for you to be. But I miss you here. I guess that's how Jesus wired our hearts. To long for the eternal home. To be with Him but also to see our loved ones again. To see you again. Not weak and frail, completely whole. Not sad or in pain, but bubbling with life and laughter. Being who you were made to me. Enjoying eternal life. I wonder if you miss us in heavan. Mum I love you. I can't wait to see you again.

I miss you. Visit me in my dreams ....

How I missed you today, you would have been 70 … I thought the first birthday alone would have been the hardest, I could not have been more wrong.

I miss you and I love you. I hope you threw a MASSIVE party in heaven.

Happy Birthday Mum. It never gets easier.i miss you so much. How lucky we were to have you. I'm so grateful for you. I wish you were here. Love you mum

Miss you every day mum. Life is emptier without you. So much has happened that I wish you could have been here for. Nobody can replace you. Love you so much.

I know you are safe,and pain free. Enjoying heaven. Missed you today Sheila mummy.

Can’t believe it’s been one year. I miss you. I love you. Your rose was in full bloom today, you would have loved it.

Mum, miss you so much. Wish you were here with me but I know that you are happier where you are. I love you forever

Miss you mummy

Today was difficult but we chose to celebrate you, on this your birthday. You loved birthdays & we have wonderful memories.

God has been our constant source of strength & comfort.

Love you mum

There are no words to describe how hard today was. I miss hearing you say “happy birthday to you too my Kayl.” I always knew this day would come but I never expected it to be this soon.

Sharing a birthday with you remains one of the biggest privileges in my life. I miss you. I love you.

Happy birthday my grams

It's your first heavenly birthday today Sheila mummy. It's been an Incredibly difficult day for all of us. We've tried to honor your memory throughout the day, but it just seems so Inadequate. Time hasn't healed the pain of losing you, that's not possible. My mum misses you so much, she's so lonely and quiet. Most days she just sleeps. If you were here, I'd guess you two would be laughing and poking fun at the dad's.


Love you always 

It doesn't get easier mum.
I miss you so deeply.
I wish you were here.

Miss you so much mum. Think of you all the time.

Still feels ĺike you are in hospital. I can still picture you sitting in the wheelchair outside of Linksfield hospital causality department teasing Deva daddy.
It's a very difficult week, but you know that already. If I'd known then what I know now . I would of made you laugh more . Miss you Sheila mummy.

We missed you so much today ❤️

I miss you so much mum. It's Easter and it just does not feel the same without you.
I know that you are with Jesus, the best place to be, but I miss you.

Please take care of Sarah today mum. She's lucky to have her grandma with her. Love and miss you so much

I love you mummy. Thinking so much about you and missing you every second. The emptiness of just knowing you are not here. It's a pain I can't explain. I spoke to dad today and had to stop myself from asking him to pass the phone to you. How I miss you mamma. I know that you are complete where you are. Complete in body and mind and completely loved. But I'm envious of heaven mum.
I love you forever.

Aunty Sheila ...it’s been little over a month that we bid you farewell, it will never seem real that we didn’t got to say goodbye to you and my dad. I know they say that God never puts you through more than He can give you the strength to endure, but I honestly have never known pain like this. I have admire you since I was a little girl, your home was always a safe house for children. With a loving smile you have greeted us since we were little till now when I have grown children of my own.
There’s a lifetime of memories to share I wouldn’t know how to pick just one, from family to church, picnics to camps, laughter to tears, both our families lives have been intertwined.
A memory that made me smile about you, was when you, mum, aunty Savy showed up to the Seaview house and hosed down my boring slumber party. I can’t remember how many times you, mum and aunty Savy have been partners in crime. Sunday lunches were legendary in Daxina and then an afternoon nap either in Paddington Lane or Kingfisher .
I can’t believe I don’t get to see in you in Edenvale anymore, that you won’t make us a treat and bring over when you visit us.
Nothing seems fair or right now, but I’m pray you resting in Gods arms and in no more pain. We sorry we couldn’t hug goodbye just once more. Thank you for sharing your life with us. You were one of a kind, has I said to Tenika on her party night, she has been blessed with a beautiful lineage of influential and strong women in her life, thank you for being apart of that beautiful tapestry.
Kevin, Aleric, Tenika and I will forever miss you dear aunt (Sheila Mummy)

Shelia Ma that's what I called you. My heart is still breaking of our great loss I can not come to terms right now that you are gone. You and I shared so much together. I write this at two in the morning one month after the night you where called home to glory ✝️ I miss you so much no one will understand what you meant to me you took me as your own daughter ‍❤️‍ I mis your your voice. I miss talking to you Shelia MA . Even though I miss you iam rest assured I will see you one day on the grandstand of Heaven. I will always love you ♥ I will take of Dad. We will be there for him like you did for us you loved him so much love you Shelia ma ♥️❤️ until I see you ma ♥️❤️

Today a marks one month since you've left us. There are no words to express the deep loss and hurt we've felt. With each day we miss you more and more. We continue to feel your presence in everything we do and it's so painful. Even though we are experiencing this deep grief we are so grateful for the life that you lived. We are grateful that we got to love you the way we did and that you got to love us the way you did. But most of all we are grateful for the trust you had in our Lord Jesus Christ. We are filled with great peace knowing that you are safe in the arms of our Saviour.

While we are deeply hurting, we are also reassured and filled with much peace knowing that we will get to see you again ️

My grandma was an extraordinary woman. She loved everyone so deeply and so greatly. Grandma and grandpa are the reason I have the family I do. Over the passed couple of days I've heard a countless amount of people speak about grandma taking them in and caring for them as babies. I stand here owing my life to Grandma, without her I would not have the life I have now. I've always said that if my parents didn't adopt me she would have.

I remember introducing grandma to my boyfriend James for the first time. Grandma instantly fell in love with him. You could have sworn that she was the one getting into a new relationship. She treated him like her very own grandchild. If I went to Edenvale without him, she'd ask where's my Jamesy, how's my Jamesy boy, tell him to come and I'm cook for him. She'd remind us that we must put our faith and trust in the Lord and that she loves us. If this doesn't explain the person grandma was, I don't know what would. Grandma loved everyone unconditionally. She went out of her way to make people feel loved, safe and cared for. She loved the Lord so much and it showed in every aspect of her life. Grandma would never be without grandpa - where she was there he was too. Their marriage was a spectacular thing. We could only strive to have something as perfect as they did.

The last time I got to see grandma was a week before she passed, to celebrate my 21st birthday. She kept telling me how happy she was and she kept asking me when I was going to get married and that I must do it soon so that she could be there. I kept saying grandma we've got so much time, don't worry about that now. I didn't know that that would be the last time we'd have that conversation, or talk about what colour sari she wanted to wear to my wedding. I didn't know that that would be the last time I'd get to hold her hand, the last time I'd get to sit next to her, the last time I'd get to hug her.

The last time I spoke to grandma was a few days before she passed. I had video called Darian and she told me to come paint her nails. I said I'd be there on Friday and that I'd stay so that I could spend even more time with her. She was so excited. Little did I know that, today, the day I was supposed to spend with her would be the day we are laying her to rest.

My beautiful, sweet grandma. You are and will always be the most phenomenal woman and I will always strive to be the person you were. You are now safe in the arms of our saviour Jesus Christ. I love you so much and I will miss you so deeply.

One month today already mum. How can that be??? I still feel you around me. I'm still hoping to see you and hear you.
I miss you so intensely and love you so deeply.

If Roses grow in Heaven,
Lord please pick a bunch for me,
Place them in Sheila Mummies arms,
And tell her they are from me. 

Tell her I love her and miss her,
And when she turns to smile,
Place a kiss upon her cheek,
And hold her for a while

Because remembering her is easy,
I do it every day,
But there’s an ache within my heart ♥️
That will NEVER go away.

Tribute to my Mum

This is a rather surreal moment for our family, a truly unbearable day. A day we knew would one day come to pass, BUT we never thought it would be so soon.

On our family group chat We had a phrase we used whenever Deva Daddy and Sheila Mummy returned from an outing, Dad will message :The Eagles have landed. It’s hard to imagine that the Eagles have been separated.

The children in the Munsamy household called mum Sheila Mummy, Her brothers and sisters in laws called her Honey, regardless of what she was called mum
was the Darling of 25 Bhuj road.
She was the Beautiful, Stunning, Loving daughter in law to proud in laws who showed her off to the community. Mum was the light of the family home. Sheila mummies generosity, her caring nature, her servants heart, her brilliant cooking and her unconditional Love is what Legends are made off. Her quietness often betrayed the heart of a Lioness that kept us in check and disciplined us when needed. Mum never allowed anger to rule instead she prayed and often corrected us in her passive manner.

I stand here today representing the many nieces and nephews that cannot be here. Cedric, Sharmla, Nadine, and Jackie just to name a few all shared a unique relationship with mum.
She nurtured us, loved us, disciplined us and took care of us. Mum was ever present in our lives. She always encouraged us, she always listened to us, and she always called just to check up on us. She celebrated our Highs and dried our tears when we had low moments.

Sheila mummy never passed an opportunity to feed us no matter how stuffed we were. Truth is we never could say no to her food regardless of how stuffed we truly were.

To the family members who were Vodacom subscribers you knew you had a call coming at least once a week. Others such as my parents were fortunate enough to get multiple calls often lasting for hours.
Vodacom to Vodacom calling was her thing! she knew how to maxed out her free minutes.

To dad, my brother Trevor, my sisters Lynette and Michele, brothers in love, Strini and Clay, sister in love Janet, nieces Mickayla, Nadia, Kristen, Nikki, and nephews Darian, Bokang and Yelando, I pray that God gives you and the rest of our family the strength to get through the lonely days and nights that will follow. We love each of you dearly.

“Because HE lives I can face tomorrow” ....the words of that great hymn has never been more true for our family than right now.

The truth is, where we are right now could have happened may times before, but God by his grace had spared mum and blessed us.

Trev, Mich and I were raised in a home built on the strong foundation of Christ. It is this foundation that we stand on today, a foundation that our mum helped put in place. In our home it was alway Christ first.

Our modest home was filed with prayer, love , laughter, family and friends. We cannot remember our home not having babies, kids , family or friends. From being raised in Durban to moving to Daxina & then Edenvale mum grew our family by sharing and caring for others. Her compassion and love drew people to her and our home. And that’s how strangers became friends and friends became family. Sunday lunches in Daxina was tradition. The pots never ran dry. If you came to visit you left with a good dose of prayer, happiness , laughs and food or pickle to take home. She cared for children & adults alike.Our friends became mummy’s children and her grandchildren’s friends became her grandkids. She served and touched so many lives that over the last few days we’ve seen mum’s legacy of love care & compassion poured out onto our families.

So thank you mum for teaching us how to love, care, serve & be compassionate... the cooking gene may have missed both Mich and I though.

Our faith and strong prayer life comes from watching mum endure so many illnesses; medical surgeries, visits to the doctors; hospitals and ICU. Over the many years we’ve seen healing & miracles in mums life. At times her body was broken & the pain was to much, but her faith and trust in God brought through many miracles. She never took her eyes off Jesus.
Thank you mum for teaching us how to always pray and trust God during difficult times.

Mums is so beautiful inside and outside. She loved to dress and dad indulge her shopping sprees. Everything had to match and look perfect ( earrings; shoes, shawl, handbag). Her passion plum hair had to be styled with a little rose clip. She was always well dressed and would never leave home with out using make-up. She was always complimented for this and loved the compliments. Even when we went into lockdown and had to watch church online, we would all watch watch church in our pajamas, but mum would come into the house fully dressed for church like she would be going to the church building.

What our mum built in us, no moth, or rust can destroy.

To AMA, our hearts break for you. Mum loved you unconditionally. We will love and care for you like she did.

Dad.... we’ve heard your love story of how you and mom met. It has been a faithful journey of 51 years. Thank you to you and mum for loving us. You and mum have set the standard for a godly marriage that we all want to follow. Thank you for being there for mum these last 2 months, for loving her and taking care of her. We know life will be different now.

Mum, thank you for loving and caring for us, we love you dearly and we miss you, until we meet again.

I’ve been procrastinating writing my tribute the entire week until late last night, because I’m just not ready to say goodbye to the woman I got the privilege of calling my grandma. If not for time I could go on and on talking about grandma.

Mum and Marsha use to say that Ana was her favourite but that was before I came along. I was grandma’s blue-eyed boy, but she wouldn’t say it in front of everybody, but everybody knew, and she made sure I knew it. I could do no wrong in grandma’s eyes. Ever since I was small, grandma would bail me out of any situation whether I was in the wrong or not. I remember growing up Ana would not let us drink our cooldrink until we finished our food and if I was struggling which was most of the time, she would take some of my food out of my bowl and put it in Nadia and Kayla’s bowls and give me a sip from her glass so my glass would be untouched so that Ana wouldn’t know.

When it came to my schooling and sport grandma never missed an opportunity to show her support, she attended every grandparent’s day and majority of my cricket matches whether it was club or school she always did her utmost best to be there. And every single one of my birthdays throughout primary school she would bake cupcakes for my class without a fail. She took every opportunity to boast about me. Last week I told grandma I was gonna cut my hair after 6 months of growing it out. She was not impressed because all the other grandma’s at the dialysis center were complementing my hair.

When it came to food grandma made it her priority to make sure I had the best. I never really enjoyed hot food and if she knew something hot or something I did not like was on the menu that day, she would make me a separate meal. No matter what Mom cooked I knew grandma had a backup. Coming home from school I could always smell a meal waiting for me to eat. She always made me lunch after school and if she didn’t, she would make grandpa drive and go buy something for me. If I ever mentioned something, I liked to eat she made sure she made it for me.

Grandma was my partner in crime. If grandpa did something silly, we would tease him but obviously he could not hear us, which would make the situation funnier for us because that would irritate him even more. She would come up with elaborate plans to make it seem like I was working. She would tell me in advance what I needed to do and what she would ask me to do so that if Mum, Dad or Ana came they wouldn’t shout at me for doing nothing and everyone would think she was being strict with me.

She was also one of my closest confidants. Grandma always lent me a ear to talk about anything and anyone and she would never say a word of it to anyone. She had a good poker face, and she was the keeper of my secrets. If I had anything special that I did not want to lose I gave to grandma for safe keeping, and she would hide it in-between her clothing. I always questioned her about how safe this was and so she would send me to go find what she had hidden, and I could never find it, but she would stick her hand in and pull it right out. My very own Houdini.
 
Grandma’s love for me was extended to me friends. She treated each one of them as her own and insisted that they call her grandma. She fed them just as much as she fed me.

Grandma’s faith was gentle but unwavering. No matter how sick she was or how much pain she was in she would never just complain about the pain but always pray about and say she’s trusting God for her healing. Even going to and coming from her dialysis grandma would always pray in the car.

Grandma has spent her whole life loving me, taking care of me and blessing me. These last 2 months God has given me the immense privilege returning her great love in a very small way by doing what she has done for me my whole life. Through this time, I got the opportunity to make lunch for grandma, to be her support when she was too weak to walk, putting her in bed when she was too tired to lift up her feet and driving her to dialysis 3 times a week. None of this is as great as all she has given me over my lifetime. 

Right up until Monday Grandma has been a daily constant in my life, but no more. My heart breaks that she won’t be there when I get my matric results or see me go to university or cook when I bring my first girlfriend home or be there to witness me getting married or giving my kid a leg bath.

Grandma thank you for loving me like you did, and I hope that I can love as you have loved me. Your gentle spirit has molded my life. I will always be grateful for every laugh and tear shed. I love you and I miss you.

Aunty Shiel

Going to sorely miss
- your texts checking up on your ‘granddaughter’ Keri-lyn
- Your love, care and prayers
But most of all....
- Your laugh when we made fun of Uncle Deva’s driving

Thank you for being a special part of my life

Forever Loved xxx 

My deepest sympathies to Deva the children. N Grandchildren. To mother Rose Sisters Sara's. Joyce. Shirley. Shireen. My prayer with you all. Love Adrian n Elsie.

May your soul rest in peace Sheila mummy.

You have touched many lives and we are so grateful to God for loaning you to us. Rest well with your father, until we meet again.

♥️

As one of Daz's closest friends and family basically, I'm really grateful and privileged to have been called and treated as one of Grandma Sheila's grandchildren. May she forever rest in peace.

Our deepest sympathy and condolence to the bereaved family and friends. May the grace of the Lord give you the strength during this difficult time . Rest in peace my sister.

We can't begin to imagine what the family is feeling but we want to share our heart felt condolence to you uncle Deva and the family. Today and always may loving memories bring you all peace, comfort and strength. We are at a loss for words during this sorrowful time. Please know we are thinking about you uncle Deva and the family and keeping you all in our prayers. May her soul rest in peace as aunty Sheila goes to her Heavenly father to rest. 

Regards and love
Rani (Dollys daughter) and my son Vivek

Dearest Aunty Sheila.. you were indeed a women of substance. Always light hearted and smiling. Safe in the arms of Jesus now. You completed your race. May the peace of Jesus now surround my dear uncle, cousins and their families. My heartfelt condolences to my family sorry that we could not be there with you but we will be praying for your peace and comfort for the days ahead

My Sheila Mummy, I never thought I'd be wishing you farewell like this. I consider myself blessed to have grown up calling you my favorite aunt. Aunt S you inhabited my earliest memories and till this day I would run towards you and Daddy Deva with open arms and hug you and have you call me your child. You had a healing voice, which was heard in your kind words and prayers. The glow in your eyes always sent encouragement. Aunt
S you have left a remarkable legacy here on earth. Know that you will never be forgotten and always loved by my mum and I. I was so privileged to have you as my very special aunt that meant so much to me. And it's harder to understand why you were taken away from us. Good night my Sheila Mummy. I Love you and will surely miss you. I pray my Daddy Deva finds strengths in God that my Sheila Mummy is home with her father and we will all be in paradise together soon. 

Dearest Sister in Christ .Gone too soon.Your death came so unexpected.You was not only my sister-in-law,but my very special friend,confidante & most of all a true woman of God.With tears in my eyes,I bid U farewell.U are now rejoicing in Heaven with our Heavenly Father. Rest ,my sister until we meets again. Will miss U & will always love U

Our deepest condolences to the Munsamy family. We have been praying for mum's healing so we share in your loss. We will continue to pray for the family. Aunty Shiela was an amazing individual who carried herself with grace, style and poise. Every time I met her she poured her love for Christ and her family. May her soul rest in peace! Rest well beautiful woman of God. From Pastors Siva and Vanessa Chetty of The Centre Ministries

Farewell and God bless Aunty Sheila. Congratulations on your graduation into Heaven. The angels are rejoicing. What a beautiful, humble and kind soul. Gone in body but never forgotten. Till we see you again in Jesus's glory, goodbye.