Meet our residents, Patrick and Janice Neary

Meet our residents, Patrick and Janice Neary. Their life story reads like a well-travelled novel, filled with adventure, resilience, and deep family roots. From early beginnings in far-flung corners of the world to building a strong family and business in South Africa, their journey is one of courage, partnership, and quiet determination.

Patrick’s roots are proudly Irish, but his childhood was anything but ordinary. He grew up in East Africa, in Tanzania, before being sent to boarding school in Dublin at just seven years old. After completing his studies and training in building management, his restless spirit led him abroad-first to England, then Australia, America, and beyond. In his early twenties, he even travelled overland through Asia to Afghanistan to visit his parents, experiencing cultures and countries few people ever see. After returning to Europe and sampling life in London’s construction industry, Patrick realised he missed sunshine and open spaces. A chance visit to Zimbabwe changed everything. There, in the mid-1970s, he found both meaningful work and the woman who would become his life partner, Janice.

Janice’s story is equally rich. She spent most of her childhood and teenage years in Botswana and Zimbabwe. Her early life was shaped by both adventure and hardship. She married young and had two children, but tragedy struck when her first husband was killed during the war. Through strength and resilience, Janice rebuilt her life, and when she and Patrick married in 1985, he lovingly adopted her children, making them his own.

Together, Patrick and Janice formed a formidable team. Patrick established his construction business in Pietersburg before moving to Pretoria, where it flourished. Janice became the backbone of the operation, working as a bookkeeper for more than 40 years. In the early days, when most of their clients were Afrikaans-speaking, she spent countless evenings translating technical documents with nothing more than a dictionary and determination.

Patrick’s professional legacy is impressive. His work includes commercial buildings, schools, a stadium, and places of worship of many faiths. He even developed a lifestyle village in Pretoria. While he never enjoyed building houses, he happily took on special projects for friends.

Their love story also has its lighter moments. Patrick once proposed in Pietersburg after an evening at the pub, an offer Janice wisely declined. Years later, in Pretoria, she decided the time was right, and they married soon after, building their family home in Waterkloof Ridge.

Now semi-retired, Patrick and Janice continue to support the family business, which is being taken over by their son. Their daughter lives in the United States, and they are proud great-grandparents. After moving to the Cape, they bought an apartment in Harbour Island before settling happily at The Somerset Lifestyle and Retirement Village, where Patrick customised their home to suit his exacting standards.

Take a look at their beautiful retirement cottage at The Somerset here in Somerset West. Our MD, Dion Potgieter, and Sales Consultant, Jane Martin, were there the day the keys were handed over to Janice Neary.