The city's creative culture hub joined close friends and family as they gathered together, to eulogise the life and times of the celebrated multi-hyphenate entertainment publicist who died tragically on Tuesday, 12th of May— on the wake of her 50th birthday— at the Milpark Hospital due to heart failure.
Amongst some of the renowned attendees on her memorial service per TimesLive were DJ S'bu, Sipho "Hotstix" Mabuse, Rami Chuene, Thebe Magugu, Thula Sindi, Thandiswa Mazwai, and rapper Stogie T.
Acclaimed poet Lebo Mashile facilitated the programme.
Seasoned artist Thandiswa Mazwai, clad in a black ensemble with a doek, gave a poignant eulogy in song by American Jazz artist Abbey lincoln's Throw It Away.
"I have not managed to write anything. I'm going to attempt to sing this song, which I think speaks to Maria's spirit, her generousity, her curiousity, her friendship," she said.
The stage was decked with Maria McCloy's designed accesories and a variety of burning candles portraying an ambience of stillness and calm.
Tributes continued to pour in on the wake of her passing with many who were close to her still in a state of shock; they have shared content from her recent 50th birthday celebration and some of their not-so-long-ago happier moments together.
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"She belonged to Johannesburg in such a beautiful way, because she carried this incredible energy that pulled people in and made people feel seen," said Author and close friend Sylvester Chauke.
"She lived a full life. One thing I learnt about Maria's passing - Phila! Loudly! Proudly! Unapologetically! PHILA!" commented creative artist Buhle Mda on actress Renate Stuurman's moving video compilation on Instagram of Maria McCloy in happier times.
Maria’s funeral service will be held as a private gathering that will not be open to the public or members of the media, the McCloy family said in a statement.
She is survived by her mother and her two sisters.
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