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Remember Coles at Sandy Bay for all your Kosher goodies!
22
The marriage produced three boys and David, John and I are the privileged products of a
“traditional” family – 2 parents, a stable home and the knowledge that we were welcome in the
world.
We all benefited from mum being at home just to talk with, her encouragement for us to achieve,
and support when we didn’t quite make it. She stood behind us, but did not claim the credit for
our achievements.
She took education seriously, sought good schools and demanding teachers. And with a good
memory, wide general knowledge and a houseful of books was even able to help with our
homework !
For the last 10 or so years, my parents enjoyed an active and happy retirement. Early on, their
focus was travel and included a number of trips overseas to visit their children, friends and
relations in places such as the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, South Africa, Argentina, Israel and
Ireland.
They joined the University of the Third Age and enjoyed a variety of courses. And they both
took up computing and emailing, usually ringing my brother David for advice when the
computer got it wrong.
A highlight for my parents during this period was in welcoming Jill, and then Katie as daughters-
in-law. Both Mum and Dad were very proud to be grandparents to Samuel, Annabelle and
Edward; and William. I know that Mum was especially pleased to be able to meet baby James
over the last few weeks.
Apart from being proud grandparents, their main activity over the last few years was their joint
editing of the book A few from Afar – Jewish lives in Tasmania from 1804. Conceived initially
as a mere re-publication of some interesting articles, it turned into 3 years of full-time work with
mum’s historical and administrative skills well supported by Dad’s previously hidden talents for
proof reading and archival research.
Both readable and recognised as a ‘proper’ historical work, it was completed and launched with
what – in hindsight – was incredibly fortunate timing in May last year. It stands as both an
example of, and a memorial to, what they achieved together.
I have an autographed copy of the book at home. I remember when Mum and Dad signed it,
kidding them that the now defaced copies would be worth less than the cover price. None of us
realised, of course, just how quickly they would become collector’s items.
My parents were also fortunate to enjoy stability in a great many friendships with neighbours,
work colleagues, bushwalkers, fellow members of the Oldina Ski Club at Mt Field, the residents
of Simpson’s Bay where we had our holiday home, bookgroups, various Church congregations
and for my mum, what started as a mother’s group (somewhat cheekily referred as ‘the
Chatterboxes’) whose friendships continued to the end.
So I also wish to thank all those many friends who have supported my mother over the past 12
months with notes, calls, visits, dinners, invitations to coffee or lunch, cards, flowers, and the
many other acts of kindness that she was privileged to enjoy.
When my children saw Grandma Ann a few weeks ago, it was clear that she was unwell. My
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