Mum's Funeral

Some shots are here. I hope to add a few more things in the future.

This was the Eulogy.

Eulogy

Joan Lawrence was born in Rockhampton on the 13th December 1918. We can only imagine what life was like in those post war years. Mum's earliest memories were from age 3 when she went to Petersen's store with her Grandma Bates to buy a small cane chair. She would also occasionally stay with her G'ma and recalls her aunts making a fuss of her. On one visit though her curly hair proved too much for G'ma who had her curls cut off! Joan's mother was a dressmaker and would make beautiful dresses for her. Her Aunts would often dress her up and take her to the gardens on a Sunday afternoon.

At just 4 years Mum was attending the Girls Grammar kindergarten. He elder brother Roy had been at this kindergarten earlier, along with a boy called Owen Cook. These boys later renewed their friendship and took great delight in telling people that they had attended the Girls Grammar School.

Mum recalls that her family must have been 'well off' during the depression years, and recalls her parents and Grandmother doing up boxes of food to take to the poorest of poor families. Mum would go too and can remember how shocked she was at their poverty.

School holidays are such a marvellous time for children. In her memoirs, Mum wrote;
We always spent the 6 weeks summer holidays at Yeppoon or Emu Park - they were such carefree days and though the houses we rented were primitive we thought it all fun. It was during our stay at the beach I learnt to do embroidery - no doubt my Mother was trying to teach me some of the gentler arts. Grandfather Bates also had a beach shack beside Ross Ck. (On the site of the council chambers, beside the hospital.) It was a rectangular shed with a curtain across one end for the girls bedroom. The kitchen was at the other end, and the boys would sleep there. The dining area was outside under a roof of palm fronds, though thinking back I think there must have been something over the top of that to keep out the rain. We would often go there for a day or weekends.

During her school years at the Girls Grammar Mum formed strong friendships with two girls from the Range – including Eileen Byrne who wrote the following in Mum's autograph book.

Perhaps in some succeeding year
Your eyes may rest a moment here
Then let memories bring
Back to view,
The one who wrote
These few lines for you. Eileen Byrne 21.7.34

Mum & Eileen were neighbours at CARV, and spent time together again at Capricorn Gardens.

Mum left school in 1932 to work in her parents' newsagency. This was a great place to keep in touch with her friends and organise their parties and outings. During this time Mum completed a business school course in Shorthand and Book-keeping.

After schooling at All Soul's School in Charters Towers, Owen Cook returned to Rockhampton and met up again with his kindergarten friend Roy Lawrence. He was often at the Lawrences' place seeing Roy, but that soon changed and a courtship developed.

Owen & Joan were married in St Pauls Cathedral in 1938. They honeymooned at Emu Park, then soon afterwards Dad took a job in Mareeba. The family started here. The war intervened and Mums memoirs recall this period.



Owen was in the 'Militia' and was called up in November 41. He was initially serving in Cairns, and I had a small flat in Cairns for a time. After the bombing of Pearl Harbour, all the officers had to get their wives out of Cairns. It was a week end and no banks were open, but fortunately we found a friend who could lend us the money for the air fare to Brisbane.

Mum was able to stay with her parents, who were now in Gympie for a short time, while Dad served in the Army. Mum recalls the freezing cold verandahs and ice on the nappy buckets at the Gympie hospital when I was born in June.

The formative years for our family were spent in post war Cairns. Mum & Dad were both involved with school committees, church work, Mothers Union and Cubs and Scouts during this time so we grew up with the knowledge that community service was a part of life.

As was common for this time, Mum was a full time housewife and although finances were limited, we children were all able to do the things we wanted and went on to qualify in different fields. As we left home one by one, the time came again for another move and Mum & Dad moved to Brisbane where they spent more time than any other town. Times had changed and Mum was able to go back to work, starting in a plant nursery then moving to the office of that business.

They were able to enjoy a couple of overseas trips, partly triggered by Dads interest to see his father's grave in Pozieres France. They spent many happy years in retirement. Mum joined the Red Cross and Embroiderers Guild. Dad's death in 1992 was a sad loss to Mum, and with no family nearby the years there were very lonely.

In 1996 Mum returned to Central Queensland and moved into the Adventist Retirement village. She often said later that she should have done that sooner. Again Mum made many friends here. She enjoyed her gardening, sewing and outings with friends. Ann & I were close by and called in often, meeting Mum's friends.

In due course it was time for another move this time to Capricorn Gardens. More friends to be made, and visits from the older friends. Mum enjoyed what ever activities she could manage – her life was one of Get up and Go – each minute filled with life and love. We are privileged to have known her as only children can know their mother.

In her keepsakes, Mum had copied out a Shakespeare quotation that Dad often quoted. It is fitting to end this eulogy with this quote.

And whether we shall meet again, I know not,
Therefore our everlasting farewell take:
For ever, and for ever, farewell!
If we do meet again we shall smile;
If not, why then this parting was well made.



(This is from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Act 5 Scene 1)