Elsie Marion Carlstein

Elsie Marion Seaward was born in South Africa to Ethel Mary Mason and Henry John Camp Seaward. She was elegant with dark hair, a porcelain complexion and a kind of movie star beauty. When she was young, people often said she reminded them of Ingrid Bergman. Elsie was youthful, always looking a decade younger than she was. She was artistic and made intricately decorated cakes for family special occasions. Her husband Alban, a professional Engineer of Swedish descent, was involved in local Kimberley politics (deputy mayor possibly?). Her first children were fraternal twin daughters (Melanie & Carole) followed quite a bit later by two younger sons (Cedric & Gavin). She enjoyed her role as leader of her daughters' Brownie troupe. Elsie was close to her sisters Dorrie (Dorothy), Ollie (Olwen), Ivy and Hilda who were also artistic and accomplished painters and pianists with some paintings in major South African art collections. She had two brothers Douglas and Percy. Her family, two generations before her, were originally from Wales and England. Elsie divorced her husband Alban after more than 20 years of marriage. She never remarried. Elsie had eight grandchildren; Linda, Angela, Lisa, Gregory, Martin, Dale, Bridgette and Bruce. Sadly, she died young of a heart attack at the age of 58.

Note: At Christmas Elsie always made an English trifle, a tradition still carried on by her daughters Melanie and Carole and their daughters Linda and Lisa.

More about Elsie and the Seaward family: http://mysite.mweb.co.za/residents/cliffiesw/0189.HTM

Source: Linda Theron