Rodney Brown, known for his creative costumes and regular wins of the Spring Princess title at the annual Spring Splash, died on Wednesday November 9.
According to his brother, Keith Brown, Rodney was born in East London on January 10, 1959. He attended Stirling Primary School and then Selborne College, a semi-private high school where he was the recipient of Palma Virtuti, an honours award for academic achievement.
Rodney was a successful puppeteer during his high school and early years and manufactured his own marionettes which were used at children’s parties.
He studied at Rhodes University, where he majored in fine arts and industrial psychology. After he qualified, he moved to Johannesburg where he worked at the SABC in the graphic and fine arts department.
Rodney designed many adverts and promotional videos and recordings – one of which was for National Panasonic’s slogan, “the quest for zero defect”.
He moved to Cape Town in the mid 1980s to work and further his studies.
He excelled in the areas of education and psychology, obtaining his doctorate in psychology at UCT, and he spent many years teaching and lecturing in the Cape Town region.
He found his niche in Fish Hoek where he settled, taught and tutored until he retired.
“He never stopped studying and tutoring as it was his passion. Rodney’s health started to fail him post Covid after having contracted the disease while suffering from anxiety and depression. May his beautiful soul rest in peace,” his brother said.
There will be a memorial service for Rodney on Saturday November 26, at 11am, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Noordhoek.