A love for the ocean, people, and photography is what Evelyn Lyle will be remembered for, say those who knew her.
Evelyn was born in Johannesburg on November 26, 1953, to father, Brian Goss, and mother, Valerie, who is 91 and “still going strong”, according to Evelyn’s husband, Keith.
Evelyn died on Friday June 9 from pancreatic cancer. She was 69.
She went to school at St Roses Convent in La Rochelle, Johannesburg, where she matriculated and studied medical technology at The Technikon Witwatersrand followed by diplomas in homeopathy and naturopathy at Lindlar College in Johannesburg.
Mr Lyle said he had met Evelyn on Durban’s South Beach on New Year’s Eve, 1969.
“We had an on-off relationship until she finally said yes, and we were married on February 28, 1981,” he said.
Evelyn leaves behind a daughter, Michelle.
Mr Lyle said the couple had started “serious photography” when they joined the Fish Hoek Photographic Society, about 15 years ago.
Evelyn, he said, had progressed quickly through the ranks and had a four-star rating. She was also a Photographic Society of South Africa (PSSA) accredited judge.
Evelyn was a regular contributor to the Echo and shared her images of all things Fish Hoek freely.
Her favourite place was Fish Hoek Beach, and she and Mathea Eichel, co-owner of The Galley, become close friends over the years.
“We lost a very special person in our community. She was Miss Fish Hoek. She was in every corner of Fish Hoek, and no matter what happened, she was there,” said Ms Eichel.
Ms Eichel said Evelyn’s enthusiasm was infectious and even if it was just a dolphin in the bay, she would say, “Mathea, I’m on my way.”
Ms Eichel said not even Covid could keep Evelyn away from the beach.
“The beach was her life and she found it peaceful.”
Ms Eichel said Evelyn was a friend to everyone and she knew everyone’s birthdays and constantly reminded her whose birthday it was.
“She didn’t have money to give, but she gave her soul and a lot of love to everyone.”
City of Cape Town speaker Felicity Purchase said Evelyn was a very kind, gentle soul who was always concerned about the well-being of her friends and other community members, regularly assisting where she could.
“She was at every event in the valley, to record it on camera and was certainly loved by all who knew her, whether from the photographic community, the Fish Hoek Beach fraternity as a daily visitor, or her family and friends.”
A close friend, Coral Surtees, recalled how she and Evelyn had borrowed a twin-cab from her brother and headed for Addo Elephant National Park.
“Evelyn was in the back seat and I was driving, yeeeeha,” she said.
She recalls their first encounter with a lone elephant walking up the road towards them.
“To the total confusion of the elephant, we backed up at top speed, convinced we were about to have a head-to-head domination scene. Utterly bored, the elephant left the action,” she said.
She said they had pushed on, windows down, and cameras ready.
They saw another elephant walking through the bush towards them and parked in the road.
She said they had both been hanging out of the windows in sheer delight and excitement, and the elephant had continued walking straight towards them.
“I had no idea how to close the electrified windows. It also became apparent that he was about to stick his head through the window, and I could not find the key to start the car.”
She said the elephant must have known that they were rookies and he was “laughing” all the way as he changed direction, one meter from their vehicle.
There was a celebration of Evelyn’s life at The Galley on Monday June 12.
