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All four of the Hare brothers lived long and productive lives. In 1988 Desmond was the first to
pass on at the age of 78. A year later Neil died at 82. For 21 years he had acted as Honorary
Colonel of The Dukes. Vincent died at 86 and in 1996, Teddy died at 92 in 2010 at his
apartment in Rondebosch. (Fig. 4.66).
Their mother, May Hare, had lived longer than all of her sons. When she died in 1979 at the
age of 94, she left an impressive number of descendants; four children, 16 grandchildren and
32 great-grandchildren. Many of those in the later generations have displayed the family’s
talent for enterprise, while others have qualified as successful professionals.
Despite enormous hurdles, one of May’s grandchildren, the wheelchair-confined Dawn,
devoted her life to enriching the lives of others living with disabilities. When she died in 2017
she left an indelible legacy. Undaunted by challenges, she had established housing and a
thriving protective workshop in Ocean View for the physically and mentally disabled. She was
widely mourned for 43 years of service to the community. (Fig. 4.67).
Do any of the members of the family still live in or near Kalk Bay? It’s clear that the village
has retained its attraction, as the families of all four brothers are still represented locally:
Teddy’s son John, Emeritus Professor of Shipping Law at UCT, has retired to his home in
Duignam Road, while Vincent’s daughter, Diana Buchanan, lives in Pentrich Road, St James.
Desmond’s daughter, Colleen Ricketts, lives in the Evergreen Retirement Village in
Muizenberg, and Neil’s son William lives in the Fish Hoek Valley.
Both of the Hare brothers’ self-built craft, Elegance and Speranza (now equipped with an
extended deck canopy), continue to ply the seas of the Southern Cape. They survive and thrive
as examples of the consistent quality built by five generations of this dynamic family. (Figs.
4.68 & 4.69).

