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With his mischievous smile and cheerful attitude, Kevin Roberts was well liked at DHS. He achieved good results in exams without much apparent effort, and was a member of the swimming team. But his real interests lay elsewhere -- in flying. Kevin's father was manager of the Louis Botha Airport in Durban, and the young boy became enthralled with airplanes. He was a member of the Air Scouts even in primary school, and in his first two years at DHS he went to a summer camp in the Orange Free State to improve his Afrikaans, as he hoped that fluency in the language would help him get into the Air Force Gym and then the SA Air Force.
After matriculating, Kevin entered the Air Force Gym, and stayed on as a member of the SA Air Force from 1962-1966, serving as a pilot and flying instructor. He then became a pilot for South African airways, initially flying domestic routes.
Schoolmates commented at the time that Kevin, with his fine bearing, impeccable uniform, and air of reassuring confidence, looked like Hollywood's notion of the perfect casting for an airline captain! Certainly the young pilot did not lack for admirers among the air hostesses, but the one who caught his eye and his heart was a British Airways stewardess, Stephanie Castle. They were married in Oxford, England, in 1972, and had three children, Duncan, Nicolette, and Stuart. Here is a photo of Kevin and Stephanie some years later:
In 1972 Kevin gained his full command and for 25 years he captained the giant Boeing 747 jumbo jets, which had only recently come into service with SAA. In the early days most African countries would not allow SAA to fly over their territory, so some long detours were necessary, especially on the Johannesburg-London run. However SAA had an outstanding reputation for its comfort and service, especially its fine wines and lavish meals. Some DHS contemporaries who had seats in economy were delighted to find themselves escorted to first class seats at Captain Roberts' command, and a lucky few even got to spend part of the flight in the cockpit!
Kevin piloted the 747s for 25 years, carrying passengers to such destinations as London, Rio de Janeiro, Sydney, Taipei, and New York. After 1990 African overflights were possible and travel times became much shorter, to the relief of pilots and passengers. Kevin had a strong preference for the original 747 models over the later "fly by wire" versions that used digital rather than physical means of controlling the aircraft -- he did not have the same "feel" for his plane.
After his retirement, Kevin and Stephanie settled in the Durban area. He enjoyed outdoor activities, especially skiing, fishing and hiking. He was a keen supporter of Class of 1961 activities and attended our 50 year Grand Reunion in Durban in 2011:
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Unfortunately Kevin was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease two years later, in 2013. However the disease progressed slowly at first, and Kevin was able to attend several of our class events. Here he is at a gathering in Durban in 2016, with Denny Moffatt:
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And at an event in Johannesburg the same year, with Ian Robertson:
He also attended a curry lunch at the Old Britannia Hotel in Umgeni Road in 2020. Here's a photo of the celebrants -- at rear, Roger Sheppard, Kevin Roberts, John Thompson, Peter Jubber; middle, Carol Thompson, Janet Gray, Stephanie Roberts; front, Dave Brosnihan and Nick Gray.
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At all these events Kevin's conviviality, warmth, and humour were very much in evidence.
After that year, Kevin's physical and mental condition deteriorated rapidly. In 2021, the family decided to place him in a care facility in the Johannesburg area, where Stephanie could live close by and where two of his children resided. He remained there in comfortable conditions: here he is with one of his grandchildren:
Kevin's condition took a turn for the worse in 2023, and he passed away peacefully on 6 March 2023, from complications of Parkinson's disease.
Kevin Roberts was fortunate to live exactly the life he had hoped for in his youth -- and he always retained that same mischievous smile that his classmates remember:
Kevin is survived by Stephanie, his wife of over 50 years; his children Duncan, who also became an SAA pilot, Stuart, who works in marketing in Johannesburg, and Nicolette, who is a medical representative in Johannesburg; their families, which include five grandchildren; and his sister Jill, who lives in KZN.
[Special thanks to Nick Gray for his help with this In Memory notice]
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Denis Moffatt
Kevin was simply a great lad at school, and Ian's obituary does him justice, and spells out the kind of man he was.
We got to know one another in the swimming team, and beyond that as another of the many lads at school. He cruised through, avoiding most of the problems we faced, and he never changed as a person. Enthusiastic and good fun, he was the person many years later when we socialised in the same lunch club. Once his Parkinson's started he became a bit more quiet, almost aware of what was coming. I noticed that he kept his left hand in his pocket and it became increasingly difficult to persuade him to join our lunches.
We all enjoyed his stories which he related with a glint in his eyes, and were proud of his achievements. He enjoyed life to the full, mix one of whom was the infamous Zulu Webb.
Steph and family supported him with love, right until the end.
A sad loss... he will be missed.
Richard Bell
Kevin & I were in the SAAF Gymnasium at Valhalla in 1962. He qualified as a Harvard pilot at Dunottar & spent a year or two in Number Five Squadron at Reunion Air Force Base at Louis Botrha Airport.
During his spell at Reunion I was treated to a flip in a Harvard by Kevin. We flew up the North Coast & did a "beat-up" of a bridge in the Tongaat area. The "G' forces were not pleasant !
Kevin attended my twenty-first bithday party at the Seahaven Restaurant on the Yacht Mole in Durban Harbour.
He ultimately qualified as a 747 pilot. On flights to Europe I paid special attention when the name of the captain was read out, but unfortunately I never hit the jackpot of being escorted to First Class or to the cockpit to sit next to Captain Roberts.
At our get-together in 2011 Kevin & I resolved to get together for a drink in Durban, but we never got our act together.
I am immensely sorry that he succumbed to Parkinson's Disease, which robbed us all of a friend & planet Earth of a really exemplary human being.
Goodbye, dear friend.
Lee Hogan
I did not complete my military training until 1964 and I was in the first batch to be drafted into the Air force. After completing basic training at the Air Force Gym at Valhalla, I was posted to 5 Squadron. As the only Citizen Force member of the Squadron (all the rest were permanent) my life was quite easy. It was here that I spent time with Kevin and was fortunate to do a fair amount of flying with him. I lost touch with Kevin when I immigrated to Canada in 1966 but bumped into him a couple of times when I visited family back in SA. I was one of the fortunate to have sat in the jump seat with Kevin – right through the landing. He loved flying and I remember him saying that he even got paid to fly but would do it for nothing!
Sad to hear of his passing and I send condolences to his family (none of whom I ever met). A great guy who lived his dream.
Stuart Russell
I was in the Air Force Gym in Valhalla with Kevin in 1962 and after our basic training he went on to Dunnottar Flying School learning to fly on Harvards. Who can forget their unique drone and their bright orange paneling when they flew overhead?
Nicholas Gray
In late1956 I first met Kevin at the 7th Durban Air Scouts, which was then located in a concrete WW11 air-raid shelter located behind the Durban Jewish Club. Kevin was a pupil at Penance and I at DPHS, however we quickly became good friends and both became senior troop leaders. At the time, one of the scout masters (Sadly, I forget his name) owned a "Tiger Moth" biplane stored at the then Stamford Hill Aerodrome and some of us senior scouts were taken for a flight in this historic aircraft, even allowed to momentarily take over the "joystick" once in flight.
It was then already quite clear that Kevin's intention was to become a pilot and we both developed a keen interest in building model aircraft from Revel and MonoGram(?) kits. I recall Kevins bedroom in Evans Road ( where I often stayed) was festooned with many such aircraft beautifully built and carefully hand painted. We also both built and flew gliders and hand controlled high performance (then) model aircraft.
Then, in1958 we found ourselves both at DHS and in the same Form 3S and so the friendship continued. Kevin still had the same burning ambition to become a pilot but also entertained other interests. We both also enjoyed the sea and fishing and the occasion arose to buy 2 very broken single seater canoes after the "58 Dusi via an introduction of another class mate Norman (Flabs) Dyer, whose cousin had competed. With the help of my Dad (a woodwork teacher at Grosvenor Boys High) we rebuilt these canoes and enjoyed many trips across the Durban Bay to the then Indian fishing village and the Bluff Angling Club.
About the same time, as our school transport, we both had sports bicycles which we had modified and planned to cycle to Kevin's uncle's farm in Nottingham Road. This we did twice, on both occassions taking 2 days and staying over at the home of the Baileys in Blackridge, PMB (I had met Jennifer Bailey on holiday in the Berg), where we enjoyed shooting for guinea fowl with .22 rifles and damn nearly got shot by one of us!! By then we had both acquired proper road racing bikes and for the third time could do the trip in one day.
Once we matriculated, I left SA with my family who had decided to return to the UK and so lost contact with Kevin and even upn my return, only occasionally met up with him over the next three decades as our paths crossed in our respective locations - he in JHB and I in Durban - except on some earlier domstic SAA flights and once or twice on International flights. Returning to Durban from a business trip to the far East, I was fortunate to find my SAA Captain on the Mauritius leg was none other than my old friend Kevin and I became one of the few to spend the cockpit in the jump seat, including the landing at Louis Botha airport. On this occassion, I recalled our earlier Tiger Moth experinces in single seater biplanes as something I had never dreamed would end up in the cockpit of a huge multi-engined jetliner, with my old scout pal as the captain.
After Kevin retired, he and Stephanie moved to Durban and we instantly reconnected, renewed our friendship and enjoyed each others company socially. Often I would get a call from Kevin; "Howzit Nick - What about a Curry n All"? - so we would meet at the Brittania Hotel for a great meal with our wives, occasionally joined by others from our "61 cohort. I do miss those calls and his witty remarks.
RIP, my old friend.
Michael Webb
Capt. Roberts: A scholar and a Gentleman
As with Richard Bell and Stuart Russell I completed my basic training with Kevin at the Airforce Gym in Valhalla. After basics Kevin went on to Dunottor on a training course flying Harvards.
Kevin later joined South African Airways culminating as a Captain flying Boeing 747’s worldwide.
During my time in Johannesburg I got to know Kevin socially. A few of us Durban lads rented a house in Bryanston and Kevin used to pop in for a braai every so often. He also frequented our local (the Balalaika in Sandton) for the odd lemonade . Always cheerful with that naughty glint in his eye he was part of the JHB/DBN squad.
Kevin and I bumped into each other a couple of years later after we had both moved back to Durban and our sons attended DHS. Kevin and Stevie had bought a lovely thatched house in Westville and we had a few get togethers over the years.
Kevin enjoyed his fishing and we had a couple of trips together to Mpande on the Wild Coast which was just up his alley – fun, laughter and plenty of fish.
Kevin and Stevie then decided to downsize and moved to an apartment in Simbithi, Ballito. He was in his element reconnecting with a lot of his old airforce mates and the odd lunch with Denny Moffat and co. things were great.
It was at this stage that Parkinson Disease which he had earlier been diagnosed with started to affect him. Kevin bore the disease like a true soldier – same as ever, mischievous and full of humour.
Kevin and Stevie then decided to relocate to Pretoria to be nearer their family and Kevin moved into a care home and Stevie to an apartment nearby on the same Estate.
The rest is history. My sincere condolences to Stevie, Duncan, Stuart and Nicolette.
Hala Nqoxolo my old mate.
Mike “Zulu” Webb