Sad farewell to well-known Soutpansberg scientist

The Soutpansberg was saddened the past week by the news of the passing away of the well-known Ian Gaigher on 8 April. He was 76 years old.

Ian Garth Gaigher was born to parents of English and Austrian descent on 26 October 1943. He was the middle brother of three and his childhood was spent on a farm outside of Zeerust in the Marico.

From a young age, Ian showed a keen interest in nature and after school studied biology at the University of Pretoria. After obtaining a master’s degree in nature conservation and a doctorate in biology with a specialisation in limnology, he started his academic career as a lecturer at the Fort Hare University in the Eastern Cape. At this time, he also married a social worker, Margaretha (Retha) Julia Gouws. They had two sons four years apart, Emil and Stephan.

After the birth of their second son, Ian accepted the position of Head of Conservation at the Jonkershoek Nature Conservation Station outside of Stellenbosch. After several years in nature conservation, he accepted a research post at the Stellenbosch University and the family also built their first home on the then outskirts of Stellenbosch.

Ian accepted a teaching and research post at the University of the Free State after receiving his second doctorate in microbiology. At this time, Retha also entered the academic field and eventually obtained a doctorate degree in medical sociology with a specialisation in primary health care.

In 1985, the family relocated to Israel where Ian was contracted to research the use of duckweed (Lemna) and Tilapia cultivation to produce protein food sources in arid landscapes. They returned in 1986, after which Ian once again took up a position as head of biology at the University of the Free State.

In 1988, however, both Ian and Retha felt a responsibility to contribute to the upliftment of rural communities and both accepted positions at the newly formed University of Venda (Univen) in Thohoyandou, in what was then the homeland of Venda. It would be at this institution and the Soutpansberg landscape that Ian would make his biggest contributions to conservation and research and would also touch the lives of people from all over the world.

Appointed as head of biology, Ian eventually became the Dean of Science at Univen. During the turbulent political times of the late 80s and early 90s he was, however, looking for a more independent way to contribute without the shackles of politics at the university. This opportunity came in 1994 when a friend told him of a mountain property for sale in the unexplored western Soutpansberg. They visited the farm called Lajuma and immediately fell irrevocably in love with the mountain. Retha would spend all of her remaining years and Ian most of his at Lajuma.

In 1996, the Lajuma Research Centre was created and until today it has functioned as a nursery for science, research and conservation in this unique part of the world. Literally hundreds of frontline scientists cut their teeth in this rugged environment and under the guiding hand of Ian.

In 2012, Ian suffered the biggest tragedy of his life when his life partner, soulmate and confidant died of cancer. After a very long battle she succumbed to the disease on her beloved Lajuma.

Shattered by this event, Ian forged ahead and somehow, contrary to what everyone thought and as a testimony to his love of life, slowly recovered. During this time, he extended the reach of his conservation and research and actively did migration research in Tanzania and amphibian research in Canada. During an elephant-research project in Tanzania that tracked elephant routes by plane, the bush pilot involved had his Australian sister, Dale, visiting. A widow of the same age as Ian, they immediately connected and a year later were married.

The next two years they lived in the Blue Mountain forests of Queensland in Australia before Dale also passed away. Once again, cancer had found him.

After the death of his second wife, Ian returned to Lajuma although his solitude this time would be shorter. He met his last partner through mutual friends - Claire Bless, a French lady who grew up in Egypt. She was with him for the remainder of his life. Together, they toured the world, spending a lot of time in the Dominican Republic, where Claire has family.

In the latter part of 2017, cancer would find Ian again and for the final time. He was diagnosed with untreatable prostate cancer. Even after the diagnosis he would, however, still live life to the fullest; never negative and always ready for adventure, he lived life to the end.

Eventually, even Ian’s indomitable spirit could not escape the dark grasp of this scourge of a disease and he died with his family and Claire by his side. “My father had always been an impressive figure in my eyes. However, I never realised the extent of the respect for him until word of his death circulated and celebrations of his life would stream in from all over the world. He went much too early for the life that was still in him, but if we all strive to live but a shadow of the life he had, we will be able to call our existence worthwhile...” said Stephan.

Ian is survived by his two sons Emil and Stephan and their families, his only grandchild Kayla as well as his two brothers, George and Gerald, their wives and children. A date for a memorial service to celebrate his life will be announced after the lockdown period.

Date:16 April 2020

By:

Read: 3479