Open Writing

He was a small man, but beautifully proportioned. At just over five feet, his firm bronzed body looked compact and strong, his piercing grey eyes stared fixedly into yours and the commanding set of his neat grey head and Edwardian goatee made him unmistakable.

Originally from Glasgow, Hugh Goyns had been recruited to South Africa to take over management of a heavy machinery factory that had fallen on hard times. With a combination of hard work, dedication and skill, it was not long before he had turned the operation around and made it hugely profitable. When he decided to retire a few years later aged fifty-five, he left with an extremely handsome bonus.

Quickly bored with retirement, he started another business and made another huge success, and when he retired for the second time he decided to start something very different.

During his period in industry he had been continually aware of how little attention was paid to the factors of a person’s retirement and how few people made proper provision and preparation for those ‘non-working’ years.

So he designed a program he called “Design for Living” and set about marketing it. He contacted some of the biggest players in industry; the corporate clients he had known in earlier days, particularly those with many employees, those with long-service records, and those who would retire within the next five years.

These were the folk he knew needed the benefit of his wisdom and experience; the people he wanted to reach. Arranging with the employers that attendance at his one-day-a-week sessions, which stretched over a period of six weeks, was compulsory, and would not result in loss of wages, he soon convinced both employers and employees that what they would learn at the sessions would benefit them for the rest of their lives.

The sessions covered advice on investments and long-term insurance, health, hobbies and retirement occupations, exercise, good eating practices and many other subjects and brought to the fore many ideas and concepts which had possibly never been considered before.

“What do you intend doing with all that free time on your hands, once you are retired?” was a question he reiterated time and again.

* “Get an absorbing hobby.''

* “Have you saved as much as you think you’ll need? If not, start saving now although twenty years earlier would have been better.''

* “Don’t think that your free time should be spent in excess eating or drinking.''

* “Now is the time to read worthwhile books, and improve your mind.''

* “Even walking is good exercise, half-an-hour a day of reasonably fast, steady walking is all you need.''

* “Take up gardening”, - “Make new friends”, - “Attempt new challenges”

The advice Hugh Goyns gave us at those weekly lectures was some of the best I’ve ever had, and I have never forgotten his words. God bless you Hugh, for your foresight and altruistic desire to help others.

And what happened to Hugh Goyns? Well, this is the saddest part of the story. After a long and happy marriage to his first wife Dorothy, who prematurely died of cancer, he had the courage to marry again, strangely to yet another Dorothy, and they were extremely happy.

Then one day, thieves broke into his small house in suburban Johannesburg. Hugh put up a spirited fight in defence of his wife and home. Badly injured in the encounter, he lingered on for a few days, but finally succumbed and died, well into his eighties.

In his life he had climbed both Mt Kilimanjaro and Mt Kenya; trekked all over Southern Africa while camping safari-style and walked in Argentina and parts of Europe. Of all the people I have known, Hugh Goyns was one who really lived his life to the full and despite his tragic end, he is one of the few people who must have died with very few regrets!