Patrick Johannes was regarded as a pillar of strength in both the Lakeside and Lansdowne communities, and was highly regarded by many.
Johannes (59) was murdered during a violent robbery at his guesthouse during the early hours of Saturday morning when he was shot and stabbed six times. Two assailants are reported to have entered the guesthouse, which is located on Bunker Road in Lakeside, through one of its windows.
Police confirmed that a computer monitor and two television sets were stolen during the break-in.
Condolences have been pouring in following Johannes’s untimely passing. Johannes was described to have worn many hats; before building his guesthouse, he had previously worked as a qualified mechanical engineer, a technical teacher and a graphic designer.
Johannes regularly helped out around the Lakeside community, offering assistance with plumbing, building and electrical work.
“I, and … many, many others, will remember Patrick Johannes as the type of man our society needs more of. He was gentle, kind and compassionate. He cared for humans as much as he cared for animals and the environment. And he was equally funny, smart, an incredibly hard worker … [he] was always pushing himself, as well as encouraging others to do better,” Carla Bernado, a family friend of Johannes, says.
Although he had no wife or children, another family friend, Michele Shepherd, says that he will be sorely missed in Lakeside and Lansdowne equally.
Johannes grew up in Lansdowne and was one of six children.
“Their family is very closely knit,” Shepherd says. “His mother is still alive, and his father passed away a few years ago. I know the family feels his loss.”
Johannes underwent pulmonary valve surgery in 2015.
“I could just imagine him laying on the floor, dying, and saying something like, ‘How could I die like this if I survived that [surgery]?’. He was just that kind of person,” Shepherd says.
She describes Johannes as someone who was “peaceful, generous, a perfect gentleman and free-spirited”.
“Patrick would accompany you to any event; he was always willing to come along and keep you company,” Shepherd says. “He would let people use the guesthouse for whatever they needed – concerts, performances … He always said, ‘We must yield our strength to enhance the wellbeing of our fellow human beings’.”
Shepherd was making her way to Johannes’ guesthouse when she found out about his death.
“I have never hurt this much before,” she says. “There is no one like Patrick.”
Picture: Facebook
