Joan Margaret Augustyn

I was born out of wedlock and was adopted 6 months after birth by Christian Rudolph deWet Mostert and his first wife, Hester van Staden whom he divorced. He then married Nellie Florence Mostert nee Dilley. They had one daughter Florence Christine Mostert and we grew up as sisters but are not related.

I attended the Germiston High School and after completing my schooling I commenced my training in 1953 as a general medical and surgical nurse at the Germiston Hospital. In 1957 I entered the Salvation Army Training College for Officers and was ordained as a Salvation Army Officer. I then completed my training as a Midwife at the Mothers' Hospital in Durban, South Africa where I worked as an Officer/Nurse for three years. I returned to Germiston Hospital in 1960 and was the Sister-in-charge of the paediatric unit for four years after relinquishing my position as a fulltime Salvation Army Officer. I am still a lay member of the Salvation Army.

I then left nursing for a business career in 1968 completing a number of selling skills and other training programmes. I was in the Medical Retail business for twenty two years.

In 1990 Nursing was once again calling and I accepted a position as Assistant Matron of a very large frail care facility in Johannesburg. I completed a course in Gerontology as well as a course in Business Management at the age of 64 for which I received three distinctions. I then became Manager of Nursing Services in Fleming House Care Facility and on the Retirement Estate.

After attending an International Alzheimers Conference in New Zealand in 2001, I brought back a special programme called "The Spark of Life" which is designed to divert dementia patients away from problem behaviour. After specialising in Dementia Care of the Elderly I was involved in the training of nursing staff and volunteers in dementia care and conducted Diversional Therapy programmes.

I established an Emergency Management Committee in 2002 and was chairperson dealing with fire and other emergencies. In 2003 a resident in the midcare facility fell asleep with a cigarette in her hand and died from smoke inhalation. The fire spread and the building was very badly damaged but the rest of the residents were safely evacuated due to the training received by the Emergency Committee.

I retired from active nursing at the end of 2007 and am kept busy with researching my family and other hobbies which includes birdwatching, gardening, art needlework and dressmaking. I am a committee member of the Genealogical Society of South Africa and am a volunteer in the Estate Chapel as a steward.

I have published a book entitled "The Genealogy of the Franzsen Family from Norway 1575-2010" for which I received an award of Excellence from the National Executive of the Genealogical Society of SA. and I have also done a Podcast on Radio Today about what lead me to researching my family.