David Massey Kingwill, born in Graaff Reinet on 11 December, 1936 and died on 22 February 2025. On 7 March a memorial service was held for David at the Karoo Community Church, Graaff Reinet, lead by Peter Kingwill.
Robert, David’s younger brother described him as lively, full of humour and a ‘gentleman brother’. David’s son, also David, described him as “an oak in the forest of life. His roots went deep and his branches enriched all that they touched. He stood steadfast in any situation that arose. He calmed us, wiped our tears, made us laugh and taught us to be better. He was more than a father. He was a mentor and role model. He installed in us a moral compass. He has touched and changed so many lives.”
Family was very important to him and he was very proud of his children and grandchildren and his wider family too.
Howard Sheard, a nephew, said that David was a multi- talented, especially in the arts. He loved drawing caricatures. Some of his farming colleagues described sitting next to him at conferences and enjoying seeing his interesting ‘doodling’.
David was very serious when it came to agriculture to which he dedicated much of his life. He had a passion for the environment and soil conservation and a great concern for the world. He served on the Farmer’s Association for many years and then as Chairman for a time. He also served on the Graaff Reinet and District Farmer’s Union. He was well respected there as well as in Agri-SA. He cared for the needs of others, serving his fellow farmers at various levels.
He regarded nature as a miracle, the handiwork of God and felt that it was a responsibility placed by God on him to care for it, to understand and admire the complexity of it and to teach others.
Through his parents, Roly and Moria, David met up with the work of Moral Re-Armament and he played a big part in its outreach with, for example, visits overseas together with people, for example, a multi racial delegation lead by Dr William Nkomo to Northern Ireland; to helping produce plays with a message to make this world a better place.
David is described as a God fearing man, a man of peace, who based his life on the values of honesty and integrity.
He is survived by Jeanette, his wife of almost 60 years, and Jeanmarie, Moira and David and their spouses and their children.
