[ Home | Select new family | Select Buckley family member ]

Lorna Madge Buckley

Parents

Birth/death

Marriage/Children

Residence

Qualifications/Education

Lorna was born on the 10th January 1921 at Gilberton, South Australia. She was the third of four children having an older brother Charles and sister Dulcie, and a younger sister, Rhonda. When she was six years old the family moved to Nailsworth.

Lorna, as a young child, shared a very happy life with her brothers and sisters. She was quiet and well behaved. She often spent hours on the front verandah of the home looking after baby sister Rhonda with knitting needles and wool, learning how to knit.

All the family attended the Baptist Church at North Adelaide where her father occasionally stood in for the Minister.

Most of her relatives were of farming stock and many enjoyable weekends were shared with her cousins and their families when she went on visits to places like Lobethal, Charleston, Swan Reach and Nildottie. The River Murray and the sand hills were a great attraction. On market days, Lorna's uncles often called in at Nailsworth on their way to the city, not only to renew acquaintances but with gifts of farm produce, fish and firewood. These were much appreciated during tough economic times.

Lorna was educated at Nailsworth firstly at the primary and then the technical school. She enjoyed school, always being well behaved and working hard. After graduating from school she accepted a position as an apprentice to a dressmaking and tailoring business, a pursuit which she followed until her marriage at the age of 23. Lorna was a very successful exhibitor at the Royal Adelaide Show where she won several awards for her needle work entries.

Lorna met her future husband Doug at a dance social in 1940 when he was studying at the University of Adelaide. After Doug graduated in 1942, since Australia was now at war he spent 1943 working at munition factories in Victoria. Doug returned to Adelaide in early 1944 and married Lorna on 11 Mar 1944. The service at the North Adelaide Baptist Church was a particularly memorable event because of the floral decorations and general assistance provided by Lorna's many Church friends

Lorna began her married life at Yarrawonga in Victoria where Doug had employment at the munitions factory at Mulwala. Their first son Paul was born just before Christmas and just in time to receive a present from a factory sponsored Christmas party. In 1945 after the war with the intention of heading in the direction of Adelaide they moved to Renmark where Doug took a job at Angoves Winery. After a further year they moved back to Adelaide where the second son Christopher was born. The house they were renting in Marian Place, Prospect was close to Doug's parents and not too distant from Lorna's family. The rent was not affordable, however and about 1949 they purchased a house in Johnson St Royal Park. At the time Royal Park was surrounded by factories and the lice from local pigs infected the children but in the post war period there was little housing available on the market. A few years later they moved to Harley Road Croydon Park.

A daughter was still born and complications during the delivery affected her health.

Lorna was an accomplished home maker. With a quiet personality, infinite patience and a good sense of humour she unselfishly and tirelessly always put the family first. She had considerable culinary expertise and her efforts were always much appreciated. Her dressmaking experience was a great asset, and especially of great benefit to her children. She was very fond of children.

Doug was offered the block at the rear of his parent's house. In 1966 they built on the land and moved to Churcher Street Thorngate. This enabled them to care for Doug's aging parents. Paul had already left the family home and married the same year. Chris left the family home in 1969. After the death of Doug's father in 1972, Doug's mother shared her time between the two houses until she moved in to a nursing home. With the parent's home sold there was little attachment to the area and around 1985 they moved to Cannes Avenue Grange.

In 1995 Lorna inherited the Moana beach house from her brother Charles. Many weekends were spent renovating the house and caring for the garden.

She endured and beat cancer several times during her latter life only finally succumbing to a heart attack on 7 May 1999. Confined to bed for the last week of her life her thoughts were still for others.

Following is the eulogy read at the service on 13th May 1999.

Eulogy - Lorna Madge Barlow

Lorna, as a young child, shared a very happy life with her two sisters, Dulcie and Rhonda, her brother Charles and her parents who built a house at Nailsworth after a short residence at Gilberton.

Lorna was quiet and well behaved and when quite young often spent hours on the front verandah of her home looking after baby sister Rhonda with a pair of knitting needles and a ball of wool, learning how to knit.

Her family of six members attended the Baptist Church at North Adelaide where her father occasionally stood in for the preacher.

Most of her relatives were of farming stock and many enjoyable weekends were shared with her cousins and their families when she went on visits to places like Lobethal, Charleston, Swan Reach and Nildottie where the River Murray and the sandhills were a great attraction. On market days, Lorna's uncles often called in at Nailsworth on their way to the city, not only to renew acquaintances but with gifts of farm produce, fish and firewood; these being very much appreciated during what were tough economic times.

Lorna was educated at Nailsworth firstly at the primary and then the technical schools, these days she enjoyed very much, always being well behaved and working well at her subject materials. After graduating from school she accepted a position as an apprentice to a dressmaking and tailoring business, a pursuit which she followed until her marriage at the age of 23. Lorna was a very successful exhibitor at the Royal Adelaide Show where she won several awards for her needle work entries.

Lorna met her future husband Doug as a dance social and later married him at the North Adelaide Baptist Church, where her many Church friends, with their floral decorations and general assistance made this a memorable event.

Lorna began her married life at Yarrawonga in Victoria where Doug had employment and where her first son Paul was born just before Christmas and just in time to receive a present from a factory sponsored Christmas party. Lorna and Doug then moved to Renmark for a short period and then back to Adelaide where a second son Christopher was born.

Her experience in the area of dressmaking proved to be of great benefit to her two children who were probably the best dressed in the locality. Two of her grandchildren were also grandly adorned with the help of Lorna. Her friends also - perhaps too many - took advantage of her skills in this area.

Lorna looked after her two grandchildren to enable their mother to undertake part time employment and the children, now grown up, recall with great relish their many trips to Glenelg and Semaphore and rides to hill resorts where traversing the railway tunnels caused great excitement.

Lorna was an accomplished home maker, and over the years she welcomed friends and relatives alike warmly into her home. She had a quiet personality with infinite patience and a good sense of humour. Her first endeavours were always for her husband and family. Children had a very special place in her heart and for many years she conducted Sunday School classes for young people.

Lorna was most family orientated and assisted with the preparation of the Barlow-Gemmell and Buckley-Spry family trees. Her collection of family albums and photographs go back several generations and have brought great delight to many people.

Lorna had considerable culinary expertise and her baking efforts were very much appreciated. She was responsible for organising banquets over Christmas and birthdays for family members, where her cooked dishes brought commendation. Eventually her son Paul undertook organising these family get togethers when advancing years and ill health was proving an obstacle for her.

She was held in high esteem by her mother-in-law and father-in-law and was only too ready to assist in troubled times and periods of sickness and ill health.

Lorna spent many weekends renovating and caring for her Moana beach house, which was built by an inherited from, her brother Charles. She liked pottering around the garden where growing bulbs was her specialty. She liked to meet with her neighbours and keep abreast with what was happening there and enjoyed the peace and quiet of the seaside. Many a pleasant time was spent around the fire with family, enjoying toast on the coals and home made soup.

She endured and beat cancer several times during her latter life only finally succumbing to a heart attack. Confined to bed for the last week of her life her thoughts were still for others. Mercifully her end came within minutes and largely free from pain.

We would like to remember her as always enjoying life, always interested in people, helpful at all times and always there for the family and friends as the need arose.

She will be sadly missed by us all.

© 2000 - 2009 Send E-mail to Chris Barlow