Barry Steenkamp, the father of slain supermodel Reeva Steenkamp, died on Thursday, 14 September 2023. He was 80.
Barry Steenkamp dies: What’s the cause of death?
In a statement released on social media, the Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation confirmed Barry died in his sleep in the “early evening of 14 September 2023.”
“Barry was a blessing to many, and he will be remembered with love and great fondness,” the statement read.
Details about his cause of death were not readily available when this article was published.
This is a developing story.
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Barry Steenkamp obituary
Little is known about Barry Steenkamp’s past. Based on our research, we determined that he was married twice, more notably to his second wife June Steenkamp, author of Reeva: A Mother’s Story.
The couple met and fell in love in Cape Town in the late 1970s. By then, Barry, a horse trainer, had an elder son, Adam, and June was a mother to Simone Cowburn, a daughter from her previous marriage.
In her book, June revealed that she and Barry wedded in 1981 and after a devastating miscarriage, the couple welcomed Reeva Steenkamp on 19 August 1983.
Barry shared a lifelong passion for horses. In the 1980s, he and June ran the Burliegh Equitation Centre in Blouberg, Cape Town, which housed 160 horses.
For the most part, Barry and June’s quaint life went on far away from the intrusive lens of South Africa’s mainstream media. Well, at least until Reeva burst into the scene, commanding attention and turning heads with her striking beauty and magnetic aura.
Barry and June’s lives were turned upside down when, on 14 February 2013, their daughter, Reeva, was shot and killed by then-boyfriend and world paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius.
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By then, the couple had relocated to the Eastern Cape.
Until his death, Barry played an active role in advocating for Reeva’s justice and ensuring her killer served his full prison term, albeit the disgraced athlete has continued his fight for early parole.
Barry is survived by his wife June his eldest son, Adam and stepdaughter Simone.
Reactions to Barry Steenkamp’s death
News of Barry Steenkhamp’s death quickly spread across social media moments after the Reeva foundation released the statement.
Here are some of the reactions we picked out:
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RIP Barry steenkamp . Was such a kind man . Trainer in PE for many many years 😇
— Gabrielle Boyle (@gabyb1) September 15, 2023
RIP Barry Steenkamp. You are with your Reeva now. 💕
— Cindy🐖 (@CindyduncanSa) September 15, 2023
Considering he suffered a stroke during Reeva Steenkamp's trial; he fought a good fight😇🕊️
— Billions4Her2 (@MsKabzela) September 15, 2023
Rest well Barry; and Strength to June and family🙏🕊️🙏