ONE of Groote Schuur Hospital’s first nurses, Cora “Tannie Cora” Snyman Louw, celebrated her 107th birthday at the weekend.
Tannie Cora was born on April 4, 1918, in Klipdam near Kimberley, has lived through an extraordinary century of history, witnessing World Wars, two pandemics, and rapid transformation of technology—from horse-drawn carts to self-driving cars.
She married a doctor in 1942, with whom she had two children, Leon and Zandra. Her life took her to Durban, Johannesburg, and back to Cape Town.
In her later years, Tannie Cora moved to the then Huis Lückhoff, now known as Rosebank House, at the age of 81, where she enjoyed a rich community life filled with music, scripture studies, and visits from loved ones.
James Wichary, the Manager of Rosebank House, recalled the first day he met Tannie Cora. He shares: “She was one of the first people I met when I started here.
“Everyone talked about Tannie Cora, and when I heard she was 106, I thought, ‘That means she was born in 1918, absolutely astonishing!’ She is like a living, breathing encyclopedia."
When asked how she feels at 107, Tannie Cora replied with a twinkle in her eye: “Happy chappy! I still look 91.”
Her great-niece, Margi Marshland, shared how Tannie Cora had been feeling after her recent birthday, which they had feared might be her last.
She says: “Last year, we thought it would be her last birthday. She got very sick, and she even told us she was ready to meet the Lord. But this year, she started asking about the days leading up to her birthday, counting them down.
“It's a blessing to spend another birthday with her.”