Trevor Cleevely, well-known Wellington artist and art lecturer, died in his house in Wellington last week.
The 76-year-old Cleevely was not only well known in art circles in the Western Cape, but for the past 15 years he has played a pivotal role in various Wellington organisations such as the Wellington Heritage Committee, Friends of Bain’s Kloof and Wellington Tourism.
Lenise Gerber, who recently succeeded Cleevely as chairperson of the Wellington Heritage Committee, said Cleevely’s death is a huge loss for the town.
Not only was he very much involved in taking the preservation of Wellingtons precious treasures of old buildings to new heights, but he used his knowledge and understanding of the aesthetics thereof to advance the development of the town.
“His excellent knowledge of the history, the architecture and the aesthetics helped to take Wellington and its surrounds forward.
“He worked for many years as a selfless volunteer and played an accomplished role as chairman of the Heritage Committee without any compensation,” Gerber said.
“When I was recently named as chairman of this committee, I knew that I would have a tough job having to fill the huge shoes which were filled by Trevor and his devout work through the years.”
As a young man, Cleevely taught in America for a few years. When he ended his teaching career in America as a Waldorf teacher, he was already acknowledged as an exceptional artist.
He also became known as an outstanding art teacher who trained hundreds of art students over the last years.
One of his students, Anina van der Westhuizen, who herself is an accomplished artist, says Cleevely always had a strong and positive impact on the lives of his students.
“He was a special person with a broad general knowledge that he would share with his students. He constantly inspired us all to reach new heights.
“He told us that art cannot change the world, but art can determine how people behave in this life because it changes their perceptions.”
Hedwig Moore of Wellington said that she and her husband were for many years family friends of Trevor.
She remembers how overwhelmed he was when his art students held a surprise party for him in Paarl on 26 May on his 76th birthday.
“A large cedar has fallen in Wellington. His friends, his students and dozens of colleagues with whom he has worked over the past years, will miss him dearly,” Moore said.
When friends of Trevor could not make contact with him on 17 June, his old friend Zieg Kröger went to his house.
The garage door was open, but the doors and windows of the house were tightly shut.
Kröger looked through a window and saw Trevor motionless on a bed. He then broke open a door and established that he was already dead.
“Fortunately there were no signs of violence. Trevor most likely died of natural causes. “
