Friends, acquaintances and employees have written heart-felt tributes to a lady who brought colour, compassion and laughter wherever she went. In her passing, she is once again bringing people together. The manner in which her friends have formed a united band around her as she made her final journey has been a thought-provoking inspiration to everyone.
"She was the most wonderful, caring person," is a refrain heard again and again.
This beautiful individual, a lady who was clearly loved by many, passed away "incredibly peacefully" a the Bellingham homestead of her friends, Chris Mauerberger and Leon Coetzee, in Franschoek on Thursday, November 6, at 16:15. In the same spirit with which her friends formed a close circle of love around her, Morkel's friends in Knysna and elsewhere will have a celebration of life for her at Wendy Taylor's farm, Fernhill Grande, in the Rheenendal district at noon on Saturday, November 29.
"I had just been talking to Zoë's carer about how totally at peace she had been the four days since she had slipped in a coma. She passed away, just gliding from life to death into the other world in the most incredibly peaceful way," said Mauerberger of his dear friend's passing.
Mauerberger and Morkel met in Cape Town in 1986 and soon after she started to work for him as an estate agent. She later left the property business to pursue a career in the car sales industry working at Brian Porter Motors. She soon became manager of a Hyundai franchise in the Mother City. According to her friend Beryl Moore, who met the bubbly blonde when she moved to Knysna, Morkel came here to open a local branch of Hyundai. More recently she opened a secondhand furniture business.
A passion for animals
"She had many animal children of which the most well-known is probably her miniature horse called Jurassic. The horse slept with her in her bedroom with at least five dogs and she had a little ramp for her Suzuki and up all the animals went," recalls Mauerberger.
"She went everywhere with that horse!" echoes a smiling Moore. There are many entertaining tales of house guests waking up to a horse's enquiring face or a dinner party where Jurassic tries to help himself to a glass of wine. Morkel, who loved animals and "could not drive past a stray" was devastated when Jurassic died and since he is buried at Fernhill Grange, this is one of the reasons her friends decided it would be the best spot to bring her charmed presence into remembrance.
"She has left a gap, yes, but it's filled with all the memories and love. The outpouring of love from Knysna has been mind boggling. I have never experienced anything like this since Diana," Mauerberger tears up.
Adds Moore, "She literally drove around with extra leashes and if she ever saw a stray, she would stop and take them to Knysyna Animal Welfare Society. She once even smashed someone's window at Woodmill Lane because they left their dog in a car without any ventilation. That was just the type of person she was."
The battle with cancer
Morkel was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and went into remission, getting the all-clear in February of 2013. But unfortunately the cancer returned and spread and she chose to spend her last days with her dearest friends in Franschoek. "I had made her a promise she would never be put in a home and we would take care of her until her last breath. And this we did. It could not have been more beautiful and tranquil," Mauerberger says.
Her parents, Peter and Maureen Morkel, declined to comment. "It's very personal. Just such a sad thing."
Her friends have extended a warm invitation to all who wish to join the celebration of her life at Fernhill Grange at the end of the month. Jennie Frost has asked everyone to take their own picnic baskets, umbrellas and picnic rugs/ chairs to enjoy an afternoon where friendship triumphs over sadness.
Click here for more photos of Zoë.
Zoë Morkel's beloved minature horse Jurassic, who went everywhere with her, peeks over her shoulder at a Pink Loerie parade.
Zoë's friends have extended a warm invitation to all who wish to join the celebration of her life at Fernhill Grange at the end of the month.
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