1992
Poultney Family - Tribute to
Mike Tanner
1992
Very sadly Jenny's father, Michael (Mick, Mike) Craig
Tanner passed away on the night of August 25, 1999 in Zimbabwe.
He was on a golf trip in the Lowveldt - one of his favourite
pastimes along with fishing and boating on Kariba - and had
played an excellent round of golf that day. He got up in the
night to go to the bathroom and died instantly of a massive heart
attack at age 66. Having been a successful cotton farmer on
Golden Valley Estates in the Chakari district during the 50s and
60s, Mick moved to Swaziland in 1967 where he started working for
Shell Chemicals. After a stint in Nampula, Mozambique prior to
the Portugese pull-out he transferred back to Salisbury where he
continued to work for Shell for some years. He then became
Managing Director of SprayQuip and grew that into a large and
profitable company until his retirement a few years ago. An avid
golfer, Mick was a long time member of Chapman Gold Club serving
many times as chairman of the board. His other most favourite
organization was the Bushbabes Golf Team which he captained for
many years.
Below is the tribute prepared by the Canadian family and sent
over to be read at his memorial service held in the Chapel of his
alma mater, Prince Edward and which was followed by a wake on the
18th hole of Chapman golf course.
A Tribute to our Grandpa and Dad from the Poultney family
in Canada.
Times with Grandpa have always been times to
remember. He always made sure that everyone was having a good
time and was happy. I remember one such time at Bally Vaugn when
we visited Zimbabwe in 1995. He showed the grand kids the wilds
of Africa with such joy and excitement. When we sat down to lunch
he and I both ordered a cornish pastie, finished, took one look
at each other, then ordered another. That was the best day I
would say of our time back in Zimbabwe and we spent it with him.
God Bless, Simon
I remember the night we spent at Grandpa’s house and I
remember when he showed us his two dogs and we played outside
with them. Then the next morning he made us breakfast and he told
us that he made the best scrambled eggs in the world - and after
I tasted them, I agreed totally.
To the rest of the family - just wanted to let you know I am
thinking of you and praying that you all will be comforted during
this tough time. God Bless - Bronwen
So many memories of great times spent with Mick doing the things
he loved so much – golfing, fishing, eating out, his work
and just talking to people. I will always remember how he loved
to have us over to Chapman for dinner. The car would be parked
right outside the manager’s office window so that the kids
could sleep in the back, watched over by the security guard,
while we enjoyed the meal which he would order with such a
flourish.
The week I spent at Tiger Tournament with him in 1986 is an
experience I’ll never forget. We didn’t catch a thing
but many bottles of beer and vit blitz helped ease the pain !
However the most enduring anecdote, as many of you will
appreciate, is from the time that I was playing a round of golf
with him at Troutbeck and he was giving me some pointers on how
to improve my game. To be more specific – to stop lifting my
head and duffing the ball. He said, "Imagine that you have a
loop of string around your neck with a big hook on it, hanging
between your legs. Now imagine what is going to happen if you
lift your head too quickly as you swing !!" Needless to say,
to this day, I cannot play a game of golf without remembering
this astute piece of advice !
Thanks Mick for the wonderful times. Hamba gashle baba. God Bless
you all. Love from Gordon.
I remember that Grandpa used to do what was called
"boomies" with us. He would gently knock his forehead
against mine and say "boomies" ! I remember when
Grandpa came to visit us in Canada and we went to the Rockie
Mountains. We all went up a mountain in a cable car and he loved
the beautiful views of the mountains, the rivers and the valleys.
I’ll miss you. Lots of love, Johanna.
Dad – you taught me how to live life to the full, to be
optimistic, to be brave, to not be afraid to ‘pick up’
the pieces and start again when things crash. You taught me to
hold my head up high and walk tall, wherever life takes me. You
taught me to stop and appreciate the beauty of our world; the
sunsets at Kariba; the smell of the air in the early morning on
the lake; the magnificence of an elephant. You taught me that
playing hard and having fun are as important as working hard. You
taught me to be punctual by always being there, right on time,
for me ! You taught me to make memories with the people we love.
Thank you, Dad, for many, many happy memories; too numerous to
mention now of course, except a few. I can hear you laughing as
you watched the people around you having fun. Dad, we loved the
general knowledge quizzes around the dining table ! We loved it
when you let us jump inside bales of freshly picked cotton ! We
loved being on a boat with you fishing in Mozambique and Kariba !
I loved all your letters Dad. You were so good about writing
– too bad some of that didn’t rub off on me ! Dad, it
was so wonderful when you showed up, just as you always said that
you would, on my 18th birthday and
took me out to dinner at the ‘Top of the Sun’ in
Bulawayo. You made me feel like royalty. Dad we loved all the
ridiculous nicknames you had for family members and friends. Only
you, Dad, could tell me that I have feet ‘like boats‘
and get away with it !
We don’t fully understand why these things happen when they
do. I take comfort in knowing that you received a letter from me
saying "I love you" just a few days before you went.
Also that you died after a day doing what you loved to do, with
the people that you loved, in the country that you loved !
Thank you from Tony, Angy and me to every single one of you who
is here today to pay tribute to our Dad. Please take comfort in
these words from our loving Father in Heaven found in the book of
Romans, Chapter 5, verses 3 and 4 : "Suffering produces
perseverance, perseverance character, and character hope."
Put your Hope in God and his ability to infuse suffering with
purpose. And Hope that, because of God’s healing power, our
sorrow will not go on forever. Love each other, forgive each
other and tell someone dear to you that you love them –
today !
God Bless you all, love from
Jenny.