Prof Izak van Biljon, who was the oldest living dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at Stellenbosch University, died on Saturday, 8 June 2019 at the age of 94.

Prof Van Biljon's association with the University lasted for 45 years. His peers included the well-known Prof AB de Villiers and jurist JC de Wet.

In 1945, after two years at the Training College in Graaff-Reinet, Van Biljon enrolled for a BA degree at SU. He majored in Afrikaans and Psychology and later completed his Masters and PhD degrees in Psychology.

When the Department of Industrial Psychology was established in 1963 within the then Commerce Faculty, Prof Van Biljon - who was a staff member of the Department of Psychology at the time - was appointed as new department's first Head of Department.

In 1986 Prof Van Biljon, who had previously served as part-time Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, became its full-time Dean. He held this position until his retirement in 1989.

Ms Marie Malherbe, who was the Dean's secretary during his tenure, remembers him as a proud and neat person who could not stand dirty shoes.

"As Dean he held a barbeque for the entire faculty at the end of every year, and paid for it out of his own pocket. I always had to buy a hoela-hoep for the children, which he himself demonstrated. I also had to organise faculty staff into cricket teams who could play against each other."

"He had a passion for music, sound equipment and sports, and was eager to discuss those topics. One of his interests was improving the sound systems in church buildings."

He even presented music programmes in Utopia and Azaleahof, where he and his spouse Leonie lived, with music that was no longer played on radio.

At the age of 82, het started taking music lessons to learn to read sheet music. Previously he had played by ear, even when playing accordion in Pietie le Roux's boeremusiek band.

This former champion of Stellenbosch Golf Club also liked talking about his hole in one on the seventh hole of the Stellenbosch golf course in 1957 – his only hole in one ever, and the first at the club. He remained a member of the club until his retirement.

• Photo: Prof Izak and Mrs Leonie van Biljon at his keyboard. He was 91 when the photo was taken.
• Prof Van Biljon's memorial service is scheduled for Thursday, 27 June 2019 at 11:00 at the United Church, 8 Van Riebeeck St, Stellenbosch.