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Sunday, December 14, 2014

DEATH OF ROSEMARY BAMFORD



(Rosemary Bamford)

The theatre and drama academic world is saddened by the news of the death of Rosemary Bamford who passed away peacefully on December 12 at Riverside Park Home in Pietermaritzburg after several months of poor health.

“She will be fondly remembered as a colourful and feisty character. Her periodically dyed bright green hair is testament to this!” writes colleague and friend Paul Datlen. “Rosemary celebrated her 80th birthday in June and hosted a function for her friends in the Drakensberg, one of her most favourite places to which she would often escape from the hurly burly of her busy life, which continued to be as busy even after she retired from the then University of Natal where she held the position of Associate Professor in the Drama Department on the Pietermaritzburg campus.

He continues: “Rosemary was enthusiastic and passionate about many things: bird watching, performing poetry, teaching, her women's group 'Out On Sunday', travel, her Winterskloof home, and of course, the great love of her life, theatre - watching it, directing it and teaching it to her young students. Pietermaritzburg is the richer for the many productions that she directed during her long career in the Drama Department, and is certainly the richer for having had such a vibrant personality as Rosemary as one of its citizens.”

Further tribute to follow.