Former East London City Councillor Rosemary Venter was born in the Transvaal in 1928. At Rhodes University she met her husband Neil, where they both studied. They married in 1950. Rosemary stayed home to raise their two children, while Neil followed his career. They were optimists with faith in themselves. Life threw them many challenges as they moved from Southern Rhodesia, to Zambia and back to South Africa, always aiming to provide a better life for their children. Their horizons widened to include business and civic affairs. Pressure grew as Apartheid policies crippled the country. Adapt or sink called for new talents and strengths. The country needed leadership where all the people could take their rightful place in society. Reconciliation meant adjustment and sacrifice. Rosemary and Neil now live quietly in rural New Zealand.