Mary King

Eulogy Mary Therese King Mary, Mum, Granny, Mum Mum, Mezza was born on the 25th February 1945 to Nell and Kev Cawley. She was their first child, quickly followed by Carmel and Michael. She was 5 when her mum Nell contracted polio. At that time she and the rest of the family including her Dad went to live with Kev’s parents, Ma and Pa and their cousins. They stayed here for two years, while her mum was in hospital until Nell was able to return home with help. Her cousin Denise would do her hair and tie a ribbon in it each Sunday for when she could go and visit her mum. Cousin Terrence would walk her to school of a morning always complaining he was late because she was never ready. When she finished school, she completed her nursing training and I think this adjusted her time clock somewhat, as she then always liked to allow plenty of time to get places, especially airports. However, with four children to get to Mass each Sunday that was not always possible. These early times filled with lots of cousins are the start of some of mums favorite memories and the future memories she made with her family. She remembered heaps of cousins, they’d play games put on concerts and all the aunts and uncles would applaud. Family Rosary would be said and the kids would get the giggles. These times are I think what Mum cherished her whole life, gathering the family and relations together, although Uncle Michael tells us she did throw a tennis racquet at him once, and argues he “probably deserved it”! Carmel, Michael and Mum still joked about it whenever they got together. Mum’s sense of family meant every Christmas we would travel to Brisbane to spend Christmas day with Mum’s family and then Boxing Day with Dad’s family, family was so important to mum. This included camping with Dad, packing all the kids into the vehicle, having a campfire, always needing a river where everyone could fish, swim, canoe or birdwatch. Later at the mine, even though there was no flowing river she was in her element, in the bush with Dad. Mum completed her primary schooling at St. Finbars Ashgrove and then secondary school at Mount St. Michael’s, Ashgrove. Nursing training at the Mater Hospital in Brisbane followed. She then embarked on her Midwifery training at Charleville Base Hospital. This is where she met Dad, at a Nurses’ Quarters party, while Dad was living and working on Noella Station. Whilst they were courting, Dad would ring Mum, and when she came to the phone, he would play their special song on the record player “Mary in the Morning”. Mum and Dad were engaged in April 1968. She travelled to England, hitch hiked through Europe, India and Israel, and was hoping to get to Egypt, however was prevented, due to civil unrest. Many years later she went to Egypt, travelling alone, after all the kids had left home and this is one of the beautiful things we all treasure about Mum and Dad. They were always one another’s greatest supporters and never prevented one another from doing anything. Dad would go gold, opal and sapphire mining, and clay target shooting and mum would go travelling solo or with whomever could come along. In later years, they went sapphire mining together and travelling around Australia twice. When Mum was 58 Dad surprised her with a ticket to fly over Antarctica, which was one of the things on her bucket list - tick. After hitch-hiking overseas mum returned to Australia where she and Dad were married at St Finbar’s Church Ashgrove, on the 12th July 1969, mum remembers it being a beautiful day. Being showered with flower petals by the neighbors at the front gate on the way to the church, and the reception having to be halted during the speeches, for the calling of the Doomben Cup. Needless to say, horse racing was very important to the Kelly’s, Cawley’s and King’s. Carmel, mum’s sister had been asked to place a bet for her Dad but getting her hair done prior to the wedding had forgotten. No doubt she was not very popular when the horse won. Mum and Dad spent their early years on Elmina and Gowrie Stations where Niki, Ellie and Jo were born. They moved to Charleville in 1978 and mum returned to working as a nurse after James arrived. Mum and Dad lived in Charleville for approximately 30 years. During this time many fun times and lifelong friendships were made. A particular love of mum’s was participating in the local theatre performances. We would often laugh at the costumes she would wear. Mum tried everything, including golf. She would ride her bike to the golf course with a club, an iron, and a putter in her basket on the front to play 9 holes with her friend Nancy. Mum and dad always valued education ensuring we were all given opportunities for further studies and she set a brilliant example when she herself completed her Degree in Health Science, Nursing in mid 1998. She then begun sponsoring education for children in India and Dad has promised to continue to do so. Mum always loved learning, whether it was reading, learning French and Italian at the university of the third age, Mahjong, Cards and laughing club. This was where Mum, taught us all to laugh like a kookaburra, a good technique for dealing with road rage. Mum valued the importance of mind and body and the health benefits of exercise. A funny story from mum’s friend Clare was that Mum had always said she couldn’t run but on one particular day Clare reports a Magpie chased mum and she did not stop running, hence half marathon training began at the age of 52. Mum completed 2 half marathons in 1993 and 94. She also walked the Bibbulmin Track with her good friend Judy and the Queen Charlotte Sound in NZ with Trishie, Maureen, and Lyndal. Biking was also a passion and an activity for the whole family. We would often ride to the 6, 18 and 27 mile of a weekend. She also rode from Charleville to Birdville, Goondiwindi to the Gold Coast and Charleville to Adavale supporting various charities including Cancer Council and Cerebral Palsy. In retirement mum really enjoyed kayaking in the Bribie Passage with friends. And was an avid participant in the local Bribie and Rubyvale Tennis Clubs. Faith has played an important role throughout mum’s life, from family rosary to three hail Mary’s before traveling, which we still do, family prayers at night, and traveling to be part of all the grandkids sacraments. Mum’s relationship with her God has always been strong and a huge comfort to her over the years. Mum provided company and communion to local Nursing Home residents who were no longer able to attend church. She also volunteered at Meals on Wheels in Charleville and at Rubyvale and at the local Salvation Army charity shop. Mum even told our local priest in the 90’s that if God could get James to 18 years old he could take her any time after that – tick. We asked all the kids and grandkids for a special memory and these are as follows: Granny made up special stories for Clare and Peta and took them on Adventures into the Mulga scrub looking for Elephants. Long bird watching afternoons were spent together. Collecting shells along the beaches and listening to the ocean in them. And when I felt lost and didn’t belong, Granny would heal all the negativity. I loved swimming in the ocean with Granny where she would be my Granny Orca. I loved cooking with Granny and she always let me lick the spoon. Granny would take us for walks and scooter rides down to her secret place, where we would get to choose the path and look at birds. She also took us to the Butterfly house and would pretend to be our personnel Granny Orca and let us ride on her back. Mum taught me to be kind to myself, to value family and that as long as you have each other and your health you have everything you need. The best advice she gave me was that every day is a Do Over. Mummum always played cards, often for hours with us even when she didn’t want to. I have valued mum’s unconditional love for Dad, her children, grand kids, and son and daughter in laws, her lack of judgment, willingness to listen to the good and bad and wise words of wisdom that ‘all will be well in time’. I will always be grateful for our weekly hour long conversations, the willingness to participate in whatever the grandkids wanted to do including doing each others make up, endless games of cards or hours on end of bird watching and of course her ability to make you feel loved and special. Arriving whenever help was needed even if you hadn’t acknowledged how badly you needed it. Mum and Dad supporting you in whatever endeavor you chose, and the wonderful example they showed us of always supporting each other, weekend bike rides, bike rides to Birdsville and Adavale, reading Harry Potter snuggled in a small room trying to keep warm, crosswords, jigsaws, lots of laughter and cooking. We have always admired the love and respect Mum and Dad have shown each other and the freedom they gave each other, Dad says this was the secret to their long and successful marriage. We would all like to acknowledge Dad, for being Mum’s greatest supporter, protector and carer. We love you Dad, Mum loved you absolutely and you did a fantastic job. Thank you all for coming today to share this celebration of Mary, our mum’s life.