Sister Kockie – A full life in service

Sister Kockie: A Full Life in Service is the biography of Catherina Maria “Rene” de Kock (1923–2021), a missionary nurse of the Dutch Reformed Church. Written by Annalette Perold, who knew her since childhood, the book records Kockie’s lifelong dedication to healthcare and missions.

From her early work in the Transkei from 1947 – often traveling on horseback to reach rural patients – to her pioneering role as the first matron of Cala’s tuberculosis hospital and later service at Sterkspruit during political unrest, Sister Kockie’s career was marked by resilience and faith. At 55, she began a new chapter in Kaokoland, Namibia, where she helped move a mission hospital and train nurses during wartime. Even after retirement, she continued to serve tirelessly in Caledon and beyond.

The biography paints a portrait of a devoted, energetic woman whose life embodied service to God and others.