Rykie van Reenen

(1923-2003) Journalist, cultural commentator and theatre reviewer. Rykie van der Byl van Reenen, was born on 31 December 1923, on the farm Waterkloof near Darling. She studied at Stellenbosch University from 1941 until 1945 (BA in English, Latin and Afrikaans, and MA in English, all cum laude). She began to work for Die Burger in 1945. Later she farmed for a while on Waterkloof and taught part-time school. In 1965 she joined Die Beeld in Johannesburg and was later a senior journalist and deputy editor for Rapport. She wrote the columns Van alle kante for Die Burger and Randakker for Die Beeld and Rapport. A collection of her articles was published in 1980. Rykie enjoyed hikes and mountain climbing. She retired in 1981, moved to Wynberg and, when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, settled in Yzerfontein, "Darling se strand" (Darling's beach). She died on 28 December 2003, shortly before her 80th birthday.

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