History & Herstory Family
DNA: How about your parents? We know that you are really grateful for the great heritage that you both have.
Don: Yes, Mum and Dad went forward at a Christian Endeavour Conference in Brisbane in 1935.
Adrienne: My Nana was a big influence on my early life. She was a godly woman and I remember at her funeral asking God that I could be like her.
One of the great things I learned from my Mum was that you are never too old or too busy to learn something new. She was always learning something; how to type, how to speak Indonesian, pottery, macramé, quilting, how to play the guitar, bible courses, teaching piano students, publishing the local diocesan paper … sometimes she’d set up a dark room in the bathroom and we’d develop our own films. She wrote the book for the town centenary. Learning has kept her young and active and sharp mentally. She’s in her late 70’s now, a lay priest, she runs a kids’ club, gardens, reads and studies and keeps in great health. She says, “I feel about 30”!
Dad was a builder and now loves to do wood turning and carpentry. He plays bowls and gardens and does things around the town. They are both community minded- I wonder how their town would go without them! Dad’s in his late 80’s now but keeps really active and well. He drives really safely and he still climbs up the ladder to prune his vines!
They are great parents, providing for us through the lean years and believing in us and giving us a great role model for life. Mum and Dad have a wonderful marriage (they were married in 1952) and in their golden years are great companions for each other. I love that they sit together before bed every night and have a bible and prayer time.
