The Matriarch

This is my tribute to my dear Mother that I read out in Church.

6-3-1921  -  22-4-2015

The Matriarch has gone.

The head Lady of our family has left us. 

She has left a dynasty stretching 5 generations. Yes, she has five Great, Great, Grandchildren, Katie-May, Maximus, Charlotte and sweet little Archer all of whom are growing up in Australia. So Mum has done her bit for trans Tasman  relationships.
Mum has done her job well. The scripture, 'My yolk is easy and my burden is light' comes to mind, that is how it was for Mum, she held us all lovingly in  the palm of her hand,  watching over us, holding us together and taking an active interest in all we did, and was, right to the very last closely involved in all in the happenings in our lives. Nothing was too much trouble.
Now I find myself the oldest member of the family, but the yolk that fitted Mum so well does not fit me. I know that I shall never be the Matriarch; - but I will always be her eldest.
Mum was 'Old School' A Lady with all the solid Christian values of a previous generation, that we can only strive for, she was such a caring person and tried hard to instill these values into us all.
She spent her last four years in Springland's Lifestyle village  in Blenheim, where she was very happy, active and well cared for. Thank you to the staff whom I know will miss her too
Mum was, among a LOT of other things an accomplished Pianist and a great singer with a  powerful deep melodic voice. Almost all my best memories are surrounded by music; of us all  singing or of Mum playing piano, watching her hands dance across the keys  making beautiful music so effortlessly; or so I thought til I had a go at learning to play the piano! Her signature tune was the fast and furious very difficult to play "Black and White Rag" She played it frequently for me, I was always asking her to play it because she used to cross her hands over to reach some of the notes. I loved it.
Finally, the other great memory is of the wonderful privileged idyllic childhood we had, going away with Mum and Dad in the caravan. Every holiday and most weekends we went caravaning to Goose Bay or to Pelorus Bridge, where we three kids would have the freedom to run wild and free; safely and just be happy children having fun, as all children should be.
This has left us all with a deep love of the sea and nature generally. So much so that all three of us and most  of the grandchildren all live beside the ocean.
Thankyou Mum.
Thanks for the love.

Pelorus Bridge

 Goose Bay Kaikoura