Sad news from 26th August 2008

Ode to Babitchka. By Malcolm Jaros (Dad)


On the 26th August 2008, Babitchka, my much loved (grand)
mother, died after what was probably a stroke.

Although physically untroubled, her mental condition had
faded over the past year to the point where she no longer
recognised the friends whose love and continuing care
kept her in Bulawayo to the end.

Never happier than when confronting a challenge, she
defied her parents to join the army and later smuggled
her two young children out of South Africa, to ensure
a clean break from a war-time romance that had ended
in an unsustainable marriage.

In Gwelo she developed a ballet school that thrived
for decades after her marriage to Vlad and the consequent
move to Bulawayo, where she lived for over fifty years. 

Despite her life-long association with show business she
never sought the limelight.  A spell as Commodore of
Umgusa Yacht Club was seen as a necessary task rather
than the recognition of decades of service.  She was a
competitive skipper and participated in numerous regattas
with several successes at National level.

The highlight of her yachting career was to be bridge
officer for the Fireball world championships on Lake
Kariba.  She liked to recall how she totally destroyed
her sewing machine (domesticity was not a favoured role)
by making a complete set of signal flags for this event.

Caring for Vlad in his last few years took precedence
over yachting, so she joined the Bulawayo Hillside
Bowling Club and willingly took on the most unpopular
job of maintaining the toilet facilities, which she
did with characteristic zeal and efficiency.

The fierce defence of her independence climaxed in
2004 when she defied the collective decision of her
family that she should move to a save haven in Durban,
and returned to live out her remaining days with her
true friends in Bulawayo.
With love, Malcolm.