It is with sadness we inform the OD Community of the sad passing of Ronnie Napier.   

Ronald Napier was born on 23 October 1935.  He died on 11 June 2025.

Ronnie attended Bishops matriculating in 1952.  In 1951 he won the History prize.  In his matric year he was a prefect in School House.  He was a member of no less than six school societies: a committee member of the Brooke Library, the Foreign Affairs and Literary Society, the Afrikaanse Klub, the History Society and the prestigious Ten Club.  In his matric year as a member of the Ten Club he presented a paper entitled  "The Crimean War" (reproduced here without editing, from the Diocesan College magazine, 1952).  The secretary of the Ten Club wrote: 

 "He began his paper by stating that the Crimean War contains military episodes of extraordinary interest for the historian, and exhibits a great variety of remarkable characters.  He went on to demonstrate that Russia has always coveted Turkey and the harbours of the Bosphorus, and how in 1853 Czar Nicholas I deluded himself into believing that the time was ripe for the extension of his boundaries. Using the dispute between the Greek and Latin Churches as an excuse for provoking war, he sent troops to occupy Moldavia and Wallachia. Britain and France were persuaded to enter the war on the side of Turkey, after the destruction of the Turkish fleet, and the allied forces made a landing on the coast of the Crimean Peninsula. Although the army, was stricken with cholera, they marched against the Russians and, defeating them at the battle of the Alma, laid siege to Sebastopol, which they should have captured in a matter of days, had they pressed home their initial success. But, owing to the energy of a Russian engineer, Todleben, and the incredible inefficiency of those responsible for the administration of the British Army, Sebastopol managed to hold out for almost a year. During this period the battles of Balaclava and Inkerman were fought in an effort to raise the siege, while the British experienced the horrors of a Russian winter, for which they were completely unprepared.  The following spring, Sebastopol was captured, and thus this most confusing and unnecessary war was brought to a conclusion. It is best known for the stirring charge of the Light Brigade and the beginning of reform in Army medical organisation brought about by the determination and efforts of Florence Nightingale. The discussion afterwards hinged mainly on the work of Florence Nightingale, and the type of firearms used in the war. Napier's paper was well written, and showed he had studied his subject. It set a good standard."  

After matriculating from Bishops Ronnie went to Trinity College Oxford for his university years where he studied law and became both an accomplished cricketer playing one first class match for Oxford, and golfer. He had been a member of the First Cricket XI at Bishops. 

His post education life was spent practising law – a vocation to which he dedicated his entire career.  He began at Webber Wentzel in 1958, starting his articles and by 1963 he had become a partner of the firm. He was appointed Managing Partner of Webber Wentzel in 1975.  He continued in the capacity as a consultant at the firm, post retirement.  

Apart from his work at Webber Wentzel he sat on a number of boards as a non-executive director, including First National Bank. 

He was an avid horse-racer and a fine golfer.   

Ronnie leaves his loving wife, Bev, his sons Richard and Christopher, his stepdaughter Julia, 2 stepsons Lynton & Ward, and five grandchildren, as well as numerous loving family and friends.

To Bev and their family, we send our deepest condolences from the ODU on behalf od all Old Diocesans.

Requiescat in Pace.

[In assisting with the writing of the obituary, some information was taken from BizNews published on 12 Jun 2025, 5:30pm.  Additional information is from the Bishops Archives.  With thanks to Felicia Landsberg of Webber Wentzel for assisting with information).