GEORGE NEWS - Joe Boshoff (45) passed away in his wife's arm on Sunday evening, January 26, without her even realising it.

Only days before, she overheard him confess in a telephone conversation with the doctor that he was afraid to die.

Boshoff was the manager of Liquor Guys on Long Street and well-known and loved in the Knysna community. Exactly two weeks ago, on Sunday, January 12, he and his staff were held up by armed robbers at the store, an incident that left him severely traumatised.
"It all happened so fast," says his wife of 18 years, Natalie.

"After that armed robbery at the store I could see he was going downhill. He was booked off for stress but went back to work for two days last week, but on Wednesday and Thursday he just couldn't get up and on Friday the doctor came to our house. Later the doctor said that he had noticed Joe had a greyish colour."

It was during the armed robbery that Boshoff first felt a tight pain across his chest. It is believed that a heart attack claimed Boshoff's life on Sunday.

"It really got to him," agrees assistant manager of Liquor Guys, Marius Smit. "It was the second time he was held up at gun-point and he just couldn't get over it. The stress of it was too much for him. The staff here aren't okay yet either."

At home Boshoff's condition deteriorated to the point where he had no strength to get up to take a shower, nor did he want to eat.
"He seemed very weak. I had to sponge bath him in bed and feed him," recalls Natalie who did just that on Sunday afternoon. "Then I took a photograph of him sitting up and he could hardly smile - I had no idea that it would be our last photograph of him, of course."
On Sunday evening after 23:00, she heard her husband mumbling and it seemed that he wanted to get up.

"Jacky, do you want to go to the toilet?" she asked him, but all she could hear him mumble was something about 'spuitgoed' (Afrikaans word that refers to anything that is sprayed from a can or bottle).

"I tried to pull him into a sitting position so that he could get up, but he got so out of breathe that I stopped. Then he just lay back on the pillows, a bit on his side and I saw that he was shaking a few times as if he was having a hard time getting his breath!"
Alarmed, Natalie shouted for their daughter, Natania (16), who was asleep in her room.

"I don't know where I got the strength from but I managed to pull him back into a sitting position, but he was limp and remained slumped over. It was all over. So quickly. I still had my arms around him, so I lay him back and tried banging with my fists on his chest, but there was nothing. Just nothing. He was gone."

Natalie then called her brother, who alerted the paramedics, but there was nothing they could do to resuscitate her husband.
Natalie had met Joe on the rugby field at Loeriepark when her dad, Koos Steyn was the coach. "I adored his gentle personality. Just as our daughter was the apple of his eye, so I used to be the apple of my dad's eye, which meant Joe had a hard time getting my father's consent to marry me!" Natalie remembers fondly.

Boshoff will be cremated and his memorial service held at The Rock church in Queen Street, Knysna on Saturday, February 1, at 11:00. Those who wish to pay their last respects may visit Perks Funeral Home before the service on Saturday from 09:00 to 10:00. For more information contact Natalie Boshoff on 072 423 3889.


Natalie and Joe Boshoff on their wedding day in Knysna 18 years ago. "He was such a gentle person, one couldn't help but love him."

'We bring you the latest Knysna, Garden Route news'