Carla Maria Neto Martins 05 November 1969 - 05 November 2024

As our friend Gavin Kreuiter has said this has been an Annus horribilis. Particularly for SFFSA but also for me. It is with a sense of loss that we have had to bid farewell to our good friend and SFFSA chairperson, Carla Martins. I shall always remember Carla as the effervescent but kind and caring person that I grew to know over many years. Who could forget the many bring-and-braais that we had with Carla's selfbraaiing meat. She would waltz up to the braai, leave her meat and lo and behold when she returned it would be done perfectly. I'll never forget a couple of hysterical games of SF Pictionary with Carla cheering on the 'artists'. She also brought with her an amazing knowledge of movies, both SF and other. She would always brighten up the room when she arrived and her caring presence will be sadly missed.
- Gail Jamieson

My first memory of Carla is from the first SFSA meeting I attended. Andrew, who was a work colleague, had discovered my interest in SF and suggested I attend a meeting. I walked into a room full of strangers, feeling rather nervous, uncertain and shy. This lively person bounced over and introduced herself as Carla, whose role on the committee was public relations. She was a bit disappointed that I was there because of a personal conversation, rather than through PR, but she certainly fulfilled her function of welcoming new members/visitors. I was made to feel so welcome that it is one of the main reasons why I am still a member. My last happy memory of Carla is at an SFFSA film outing. On her own, she had decided to organise movie meetings. They were very popular pre-epidemic, although they had dwindled down to sometimes just Carla, her mother Helena, and myself. And memories in between? Two things impressed me the most about Carla; her encyclopaedic knowledge of movie trivia, and her positivity. She was so full of life that it is difficult to accept that she has gone. She will be missed. RIP, my friend.
- Gavin Kreuiter

While Carla and I were both (separately) at Grant Charlton's 1998 ICON Comics & Games Convention in Edenvale, Joburg, I only just dethroned Carla as the youngest active SFSA member in 2022 (excluding Gail and Ian's kids). She was another, more exuberant, sister to me. She joined my family in the Drakensberg one December, and she was part of trips to Gaborone, Botswana, to visit our mutual friend Gwen Watkins, who started the (unofficial SFFSA) home movie evenings Carla loved (and which Franz and I took over until the pandemic started). We shared favourite SFF series: CJ Cherryh's Foreigner (which I gifted to her almost every year on her birthday, although I'd read the book first) and Kim Harrison's The Hollows. Carla was full of life and enthusiasm for everything, and always happy to drive far, including the SFFSA Soutpansberg trip. May her memory be a blessing
- Simone Putterman

My heartfelt condolences to Carla's family and friends. Knowing her was a delight and I always enjoyed hanging out with her. She will be missed.
- Grant Kruger

Carla always put passion into anything she did, whether it was editing PROBE, or haranguing us for articles, as chairman of the club or secretary, keeping meticulous notes to remind us to do what we had promised to do. She was always a welcome force in any social situation, happy, or sad, she could raise our spirits and light up the room. She will be deeply missed and will always be part of SFFSA (even though she hated trying to pronounce it). You will be sorely missed.
- Cedric Abrahams

Two things that immediately come to mind were Carla's generosity of spirit and encyclopaedic knowledge of movies. If you attended a club meeting you were guaranteed a heartfelt hug. Ditto for movie evenings or just a meal. If there was a club movie quiz, she and Norman had to be on different teams or the rest of us stood no chance. Just how broad a knowledge it was could be seen when she took on renowned movie critic, Barry Ronge before an early screen of Pan's Labyrinth. Carla will be missed immensely at the club and as a friend. Also, sincere condolences from the following people, many of whom joined us and her brother Joao to hold a wake for her last Saturday. All said how much she would be missed: Norman Pringle, Gerhard Hope, Dierdre Byrne, Erin Brunette, Franz Tomasek, Simone Putterman, Sally Leibowitz, Gwen Watkins Nick Heyns, Digby Ricci, Jan Benvie, Nial Mollison, Adele Meyer, Cedric Abramowitz, Trevor Derry, Kyle Brunette, Steve and Alyssa Levitt, Ron Cowley, Ilse von Willich, Grant Charlton, Colin from France, Tony Davis from Canada, and Anne-Marie who came all the way from Saudi Arabia to be with Carla's mom and brother.
- Franz Tomasek

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