Friday, 21 March 2025

Isadore (Issie) Meyers (1908 - 1973)

Isadore (Issie) Meyers is the husband of Gertrude Leila Helfet, known as Girlie, my 1st cousin 2x removed. Helfet family HERE

Parents: Abraham Noah Meyers (Mirowitz) (1878 - 1931) and Pauline (Polly) Schneider (1879 - 1946)

Marriage of Abraham Mirowitz and Polly Schneider in Johannesburg on 4 September 1904

Tombstone for Abraham Meyers who is buried in the Rebecca Street cemetery, Pretoria, South Africa

Born: 23 August 1906 in Pretoria, South Africa

Siblings:
  • Rose Meyers (1906 - ?) married Isaac Jacob Diamond (1896 - 1958) on 3 May 1936 in Pretoria, South Africa
  • George Julius Meyers (1909 - 1998) married Golda Hessen (1911 - ?) on 8 January 1939 in Cape Town, South Africa
  • Harry Meyers (1910 - ?)

Occupation: Chemist (pharmacist)

Married: Gertrude Leila Helfet on 7 March 1937 in Cape Town, South Africa. Girlie was age 22 and Issie age 28

Antenuptial contract for Girlie and Issie dated 18 January 1937

Marriage of Girlie and Issie Meyers in Sea Point, Cape Town on 7 March 1937

Children
Their first child was born in 1938 when Girlie was 24 and Issie 32. Their last child was born in 1946 when Girlie was 31 and Issie 37

Pictures
A very poor quality photo of Issie and Girlie (at left) with my grandparents Marcus and Zella Levin at the Kruger National Park, South Africa in the late 1950s


Pretoria 1959. L-R, Rosalie (Dinkie) Morris (Nee Wasserman) holding Clive Wasserman with his brother Anthony in front of him, Pamela Meyers, my mom Ruth, my sister Sarah-Nan getting a piggyback from my grandmother Zella Levin, and at the far right is Girlie Meyers. In the second photo Issie Meyers is added between my mother and Girlie Meyers; Leonie Meyers is at the back on the far right, and my grandfather Marcus Levin, smoking his habitual pipe, is now seated next to his wife Zella Levin. Seated on the far left is Ettie Morris and on the far right is Abe Morris

Telegram
Telegram from Issie and Girlie Meyers, their daughter Nola, Arnold and Edna Helfet and their boys sent from Pinelands in Cape Town to Johannesburg on 11 March 1972 congratulating me on my Barmitzvah

Death
8 February 1973 in Pretoria, South Africa at age 66. He was buried on 11 February 1973 in the Jewish section of the Rebecca Street cemetery section D, location no 13, grave no 2718

Death notice for Issie Meyers

Will
Will for Issie Meyers dated 31 December 1946


CODICIL TO THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
OF ISADORE MEYERS and GERTRUDE LEILA MEYERS (born Helfet), married out of community of property to each other.

1. We hereby annul and revoke the provisions contained in Clause 6 of our Will dated 3lst December 1946, and we hereby nominate, constitute and appoint the Testatrix's brothers ARTHUR ARNOLD HELFET and CYRIL HELFET to be the Executors of this our Will and guardians of our minor children and we further declare it our wish that our Executors shall not be required to furnish security to the Master of the Supreme Court in their respective capacities.

2. We also declare it our wish that the Executor of the first dying shall also not be required to furnish security to the Master of the Supreme Court for the due administration of the state of the first dying.

SIGHED at PRETORIA on this the 23rd day of MAY 1962, in the presence of the undersigned witnesses, who in our presence, and in the presence of each other, have hereunto set their hands. (Codicil to Issie's will dated 23 May 1962)

Letter excerpt announcing the death of Issie
Ruth wrote to you yesterday about the sad news of the sudden death of Issie [Meyers]. We went to the funeral yesterday afternoon and thereafter to prayers at the flat. Arthur, Cyril and Cynthia, Arnold and Edna [all Helfet] and Nola [Newman] all came up from Cape Town. Pam and Elliot [Galanti] arrived from Bulawayo and Issie's brother, George, came from Salisbury. It is all very sad as Issie was so full of life and had little prior indication that he would have a massive heart attack. Abe [Morris] is particularly upset as he used to visit Issie regularly every Thursday for the past 30 years. We do not know whether Girlie will continue with the pharmacy or not. (letter from my father to my grandparents in Southport, England on 12 February 1973)

Probate
Probate for Issie Meyers dated 16 July 1973

Residences

In Pretoria the family lived at 75 Nicolson Street, Bailey`s Muckleneuk, Pretoria, South Africa. I remember a giant cactus in one corner of the garden

At the time of Issie's death in 1973 he and Girlie were living at 9 Lynwood Hof, the Ring, Lynwood, Pretoria, South Africa