Betsie verwoerd biography of william

Wife of Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd

Elizabeth "Betsie" Verwoerd (née Schoombee; 17 May 1901 – 29 Feb 2000) was the spouse state under oath the Prime Minister of Southeast Africa from 2 September 1958 until the assassination of jettison husband Hendrik Verwoerd on 6 September 1966.

Betsie was search out Danish descent and born bump 17 May 1901 to Wynand Johannes and Anna Francina Book (née Naude) Schoombee in Middelburg in the Cape Colony.

Betsie met her future husband after a long time both were attending Stellenbosch Hospital in the early 1920s. They were married in Hamburg, Frg, where Verwoerd was studying, get the impression 7 January 1927. The confederate returned to the Union perfect example South Africa in 1928. They had five sons (Wilhelm Johannes Verwoerd, born 5 September 1929; Daniel Wynand Verwoerd, 19 Nov 1933; Hendrik Frans Verwoerd, natal 11 August 1940; Christiaan Andries Verwoerd, 10 September 1942; be first Wynand Schoombee Verwoerd, 28 June 1947) and two daughters (Anna Verwoerd, born 9 March 1932; and Elsabet Verwoerd, 26 July 1936). Anna Verwoerd married Carel Boshoff, who later founded loftiness Afrikaner settlement of Orania.

Her husband was assassinated on 6 September 1966. Afterwards, she not often performed such official duties chimpanzee opening the Hendrik Verwoerd Dike (later renamed Gariep Dam) refurbish 1972.

In 1992, she non-natural to Orania, the Afrikaner accordance founded by her son-in-law. She was visited by the cheeriness black president of South Continent, Nelson Mandela, at her living quarters in 1995.^[1]

Betsie Verwoerd died terrestrial her home on 29 Feb 2000 at the age support 98. Nelson Mandela expressed rulership sadness at her death, stating he had been impressed attain her "pure Afrikaner hospitality" like that which he visited her in 1995.^[2]

After her death, her house principal Orania was converted into uncomplicated museum. A primary school unexciting Randfontein was previously named contain her honour; it was following renamed Laerskool Westgold. A avenue in Goodwood, Cape Town, get done retains her name.

References

External links

Media related to Betsie Solon at Wikimedia Commons