Forti et fideli nihil difficile – To the brave and faithful nothing is impossible.
Her parents: Gert Hendrik Rautenbach McCarthy × Elsje Rachel van der Merwe (26 July 1927)
Children:
- Hercules Jacobus McCarthy 14 Oct 1928
- Aletta Sophia McCarthy 12 March 1930
- Willem Sterrenberg McCarthy 31 Dec 1932
- Gert Hendrik Rautenbach McCarthy
- Piet McCarthy
- James McCarthy
- Gert Johannes McCarthy
She was born in Brakpan on 12 March 1930. Her father Hendrik relocated when she was 15 to a farm in Welverdiend. They resided there for 2 years, then moved to Blyvooruitzicht.
After completing school, she started working in the mine offices at Blyvooruitzicht. She met her husband Albert Swaters in Blyvooruitzicht. Jan Swaters emigrated from Holland to South Africa.
Aletta Sophia McCarthy married Jan Swaters (26 July 1927)
Children:
- Albert Swaters 9 Oct 1955
- Elsie Rachel Swaters 12 May 1957
- Elena Swaters 31 Oct 1968
They met in Blyvooruitzicht and were married in the Dutch Reformed Church. He was 28 years old and she was 24 years old when they married. They resided for 3 years in Carletonville. They then moved to Makwassie to start a business (a garage). She stayed in Makwassie her whole life; she had 3 children (2 daughters and a son).
Makwassie is a small town in the Western Transvaal. It is mainly a farming community and is the oldest recognized town in the Transvaal. She assisted her husband with his business. Her brother Hercules (Harry) joined them in the business. Later she worked for the borough.
All her children went to primary school in Makwassie.
I can still smell her kitchen. She used to make the greatest food; potatoes baked crispy with wonderful salad. She used to create an amazing soup. One day the brew was on the stove in a pressure cooker; something went wrong, and when we walked into the house the whole kitchen roof was dripping with soup.
What an amazing woman. She also looked after her husbands’ father (Albert Swaters) for many years. He passed away and was buried in the Makwassie cemetery.
Her husband fell ill after he retired. She had to assist him like a baby. Jan Antoon Swaters passed away and was also buried in the Makwassie cemetery.
What a privilege. I went to see her in Makwassie; a lady who exudes the positive side of life. She endured tough times but were alway focused on the positive side of life. She worked and assisted at the old age home.