Wilhelm Adriaan Jacobus du Plessis
05/12/1927 – 21/11/2008
He studied at The University of Pretoria and obtained his BVSc Degree. He then started his long career by locuming for
Prof. Hofmeyr, Le Grange, and Greathead in Pretoria.
This was one of the first private Veterinary Practices in the Country.
In 1952 he joined Dr. C. H. Basson at the Blue Cross Veterinary Hospital where he remained a partner for 53 years and retired on 30 November 2005.
He served in the following:
A Western Province Cat Club
Equine Practitioners Group
W.P. Endurance Ride Club
In 1992 he was awarded the SAVA Clinical Award for Excellence in Applied Veterinary Practice.
He married Elaine du Plessis and had 4 children.
Dr. Dup suffered major health setbacks yet none of these deterred him from continuing in practice.
His lack of mobility and ailing health was making it physically almost impossible to continue working with his most favourite patients, horses.
He retired at the age of 78 – thus ending a career spanning of 54 years.
To describe Duppie would be to say he was a farm boy at heart with an unfathomable passion for his profession and the animals he served. He was knowledgeable, humble, and extremely hardworking and caring individual with an open hand and an open heart.
He treated animals and humans alike.
He had an amazing insight into human and animal behavior. He always seemed more worried about others than himself. He did not suffer fools and did not tolerate cruelty of any kind.
He would delight in giving the newly qualified vets or students some of the more difficult horses to work with and when questioned, would grin and say “Ja hulle moet op die harde manier leer ”
He was a good father, friend, teacher, and veterinarian and we are grateful for his long and celebrated life.