Dear SJCS Zanzibar Members & All Karl D' Cruz's Friends & Relatives
On Wednesday 25th August 2010 we attended the Requiem Mass for
Karl Anthony D' Cruz at St. William of York Church.
A very sad day for all of Karl's family and friends. At the the reception, many of Karl's close friends paid tribute with wonderful words spoken about Karl. We were all in tears especially when Karl's wife Pauline dedicated a farewell song to Karl sung at the Crematorium Ceremony. What a beautiful voice which touched all our hearts. A big loss to Pauline and her beautiful, handsome enterprising children, Anna, Matthew & Joe.
Lovely photographs were displayed at the reception for all to view which I have attached to the link below for close friends of Karl. (Karl's sister Norma was also present and has taken some photos which she would like me to add for friends to see. This will be actioned later when photos are received).
Eulogy for Karl D' Cruz posted below.
Regards - Benito & Betty
CLICK ON ANY PHOTOGRAPH TO VIEW FULL SIZE
Please click on the link below to view Photo Album Slide show.
Wait for a few good seconds for photos to upload and click the play arrow to view.
67 Photos attached to the link below
(Photos kindly provided by Norma) - Wednesday 8th September 2010.
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Eulogy for Karl D’Cruz
As a family we have been overwhelmed by the messages and tributes from so many people who knew my father. It’s with this in mind that I’d like to tell you all a little bit about his life.
My Dad was born in Kampala, Uganda, on 7th December 1943. He grew up in Zanzibar with his father Joaquim, his mother Mary and his sister Norma. He was known as Charlie to most people in those days. He was a popular boy, with lots of friends who would often visit the D’Cruz house to see his Dad’s tropical fish and watch films on his projector – something not many people had in those days. Dad was a mischievous boy. He occasionally had small brushes with the law for playing with fireworks and riding a scooter without a licence – small crimes he could easily talk himself out of. He defended himself successfully in court on the firecracker incident (although in truth he was actually guilty). Blessed with a quick mind and an ability to win arguments he shook off this life of crime, and put his skills to better use by working hard and behaving himself. He became Head Boy at School, and later came to study Law at the Inns of Court in London in the early ‘60s.
Quite a few of you will know that revolution in Zanzibar robbed his family of everything they owned when their house was looted just after Christmas in 1964. They escaped with their lives and their education and moved to London. Painful memories of what happened back then affected him for most of his life. However, he always remembered the support and kindness shown towards him and his family during that period, and many of the people who helped have become lifelong friends and are here today.
It was at this point he met Pauline – it was love at first sight.
Dad and his family began to re-build their lives with courage.
He changed direction, gave up Law and started again, this time studying Religious Education at Goldsmiths’ College, where his new life really started to take off. He would go on to become the President of the Students’ Union.
Dad became a teacher of Religious Education. He was a popular and inspiring secondary teacher and moved into advisory and inspectorial roles in the ILEA and, later, several London boroughs. He was passionate about the role and importance of good RE in schools – it became more than a job, it was his mission. He drew on his experiences of the diversity of life and belief in Zanzibar, and in the course of his work he formed great friendships with people from a wide range of religious, ethnic and professional backgrounds. This informed and underlined his work on good practice in Religious Education, and it enriched his life.
A calm nature mixed with a dry sense of humour made some people think he found things easy and effortless, but the truth was there was rarely a day that he didn’t work for several hours preparing for a course or presentation. Behind the scenes he was always working.
For a long time, Dad suffered from ME. He kept this private from a lot of people as he didn’t want anyone to feel sorry for him. In his spare time, he liked watching films and football, and reading books. We spent many hours discussing my elaborate theories on what was happening in Lost or dissecting books by Louis De Bernieres or David Mitchell.
My Mum and Dad married in 1972.
Seven years later, when Dad learnt that my Mum was pregnant he was apprehensive at first as he had a strange ability to make other people’s babies cry. However, sure enough when my brother Matthew was born, Karl D’Cruz proved to be a warm and loving father, who didn’t make his children cry.
Both my Mum and Dad have been hugely loving and supportive parents. They encouraged and nurtured my sister Anna’s love of making jewellery from a very young age when she would make ear rings with plastic beads and string. They got her a small work station and a soldering iron and let her get creative. Today she is a professional jeweller and I know Dad was very proud of her.
Dad and Mum encouraged us to play musical instruments starting off with the piano before finding out what suited us better with the clarinet, the flute, the guitar and the drums. A love of music has been passed down to all 3 of us. Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, Leonard Cohen – there’s been a lot of good music introduced to us by Dad, and songs like Wild World and Bird on a Wire will always remind me of him.
In 2006 Dad and Mum decided to visit Goa. They were really pleased when we all decided to go too. Years before I had spent some time backpacking in Thailand and had often wished my family could have been there to see what I was seeing. When we all flew out to Goa together there was a sense of shared poignancy that made that family holiday extra special. Dad had only visited his parents’ homeland twice in his life and that was as a child. He was impressed and proud at what he saw. Yes -there cows in the road and the odd powercut but life for the Goans had progressed in the decades since he was last there.
When he heard there would be a reunion of Zanzibari Goans in 2008 he returned to Goa alone, meeting his sister Norma who had flown in from Australia. They went to parties and dances. They shared memories of the joys and sadness’s that had shaped their youth. He was also able to explore his parents’ homeland and see the villages where they were born.
All my life both my Mum and Dad have been extremely supportive. As a student photographer putting together my final degree project they gave me lifts in the car and stood around with me in the early hours while I took photos of tower blocks at night. They heaved me over park gates, hid in bushes and occasionally the three of us made a quick get-away. The pictures turned out well - in no small way thanks to them both.
If I’ve ever found life hard, Dad was always there to lift my spirits with his wisdom, kindness and sense of humour. He knew me better than I knew myself. He always believed in me and taught me to rise above the challenges in life and never give up.
On Father’s Day this year I invited my family over and cooked a Thai green curry. We had a really nice day eating, drinking, telling stories, listening to music and later on we watched a World Cup game. Dad had a pain in his arm that he thought was a trapped nerve but turned out to be shingles. With his underlying health problems this would eventually get the better of him. I think back to that day in June and am so glad that we spent that Father’s Day together and were all able to show him what he meant to us.
We have been very moved by the tributes we have received from all of you and your presence here today is greatly appreciated. We hope you will join us at St Lawrence’s hall to celebrate Dad’s life and to give thanks for the privilege of knowing him.
(Wonderful words spoken Joe D' Cruz)
