Ada Ruth Newton
1908 - 1999
During her life, Ada Newton had a great memory, and a love of family history. Ada began writing the history of her life while in Crows Nest Hospital. Below is an extract from her writing. "I was a home-born baby in a mountainside cottage on the edge of Gowrie Flat. The midwife was a lady usually referred to as Dame Dascombe. She had been a nurse in England before coming out here and her services were much sought after in the outlying areas. My parents were John William and Sarah Newton who had selected a homestead area on which they conducted a dairy. This property was on the opposite side of Emu Creek to the land on which Grandfather Newton had settled. As an infant I had to be taken to the cow bails not far from the house and placed in a square box in which a rug was placed. I usually slept through most of the milking. As I grew older and could stand up clinging to the sides of the box I watched the proceedings. I assume it was my early induction to the cow yard that instilled in me the love for dairy cattle because for 60 years of my lifetime I worked in the dairy and enjoyed it." About that time Ada's grand-parents moved to Square Top near Kaimkillenbun and her parents moved to Doctor's Creek next to her maternal grandparents, the White family. This is where Ada lived the rest of her life until August 1999 when she became seriously ill and was hospitalised in Crows Nest. On November 21, she had a fall and suffered a severe stroke. Her final five days were spent in St Andrew's Hospital in a deep coma and she passed away at 10.30pm on November 26, 1999, aged 91 years and three months. Apart from the dairy work, she was a dressmaker and made wedding gowns, debutante and bridesmaids' dresses and all types of ladies' day wear. Ada's greatest love outside the home was the church. She also served as president, secretary and treasurer of the Ladies Guild at St John's. Ada was a member of the Haden CWA (Country Women's As-sociation) for more than 50 years, and also served as president, sec-retary for many years, and trea-surer. Throughout her life Ada's main hobby was letter writing. She had pen pals in England, Canada and New Zealand as well as dozens in Australia. Ada was an independent and fiercely determined person. Her family tried many times to get her to see the doctor during recent years, but she would say "I feel too sick today, I will go when I feel better". This fighting spirit lasted until her final days. Ada was the third child in her family and is survived by two brothers and their wives, a brother-in law, 11 nieces and nephews and 22 great nieces and nephews. Printed in "The Chronicle", Toowoomba 28 March 2000
Tmba loses stalwart
Mrs Norma Nielsen
Toowoomba lost sporting stalwart Mrs Norma Nielsen at the weekend. Among a multitude of achievements, she was the only woman made a life member of the Toowoomba Sportsmen's Association. Friend and fellow sports administrator Ms Barbara Osborne said Ms Nielsen, 78, died in St Andrew's Hospital following a short illness. A two-term president and life member of the Toowoomba Bowls Club and a member of the West Toowoomba Bowls Club, Mrs Nielsen was also heavily involved with the Harlaxton RSL women's auxiliary and served as treasurer and president of the western district RSL council of auxiliaries. For 28 years, she was secretary of the Toowoomba Abattoir Board. Her funeral is tomorrow at 1pm from St James Anglican Church.
Family and Air Force Jack's life
JACK NEW
1920-1999
Jonathan Joseph (Jack) New, BEM, was born in Toowoomba on October 29, 1920, and passed away on April 15, 1999. He was the second of six children of Henry (Harry) and Margaret New (nee Carseldine). His youngest brother Charles remains the last member of that family. Mr New's schooling was completed at East Toowoomba State School and began his first job on a paper run for Sherlock's; followed by farm work. It was after the war and a rehabilitation course that Jack worked as a carpenter -- plying his trade with various firms for more than 30 years. His last seven-working years were as a storeman at the Seven Stores Depot (7SD). In 1941, Jack enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force and it became the second great love of his life. He served as a tail-end gunner. After demobilisation, this love was expressed in the groups to which Jack belonged including: Bomber Command Association (Britain), Pathfinder Association (Australia), Air Gunners Association (Britain), Air Crew Association (Australia), RSL (life member), RAAF Association where he served as president and patron (life member), 7SD Officers' Mess, and Toowoomba Anzac Day Committee. He also had a large collection of Air Force books. While Jack was engaged in his RAAF duties in England, he met the greatest love of his life, his soon-to-be-wife Jean. The couple were married in St Chad's Church, York, on October 12, 1943. They have one daughter, Barbara, and two grandsons. Jack delighted in and enjoyed his family. He spent 30 years involved in the Air Training Corp, with the rank of Flight-lieutenant and was commanding officer of the Toowoomba Flight. This involvement was an investment in the youth of Australia that consumed every Friday night and many weekends at camps - an investment into which Jack poured his heart and soul. Barbara's response was to refer to the cadets as "Daddy's boys". For this work, Jack was honoured by the Queen and bestowed with the British Empire Medal (BEM). The citation simply read "For service to youth". His health declined since retirement and age took its toll. He passed away at Baillie Henderson hospital on April 15, aged 78. Printed in "the Chronicle", Toowoomba, 4 May 1999.
The memory of a nurse who devoted 33 years to her profession and to the Toowoomba Hospital was perpetuated at the weekend with the first donation from the Anneke Neumann Memorial Fund. Ms Jan Wyllie, who founded the fund, said the money had been raised through line dancing competitions, so much a part of Ms Neumann's life before her sudden death last year following a short illness. However, her memory will live on through the photograph plaque which will now hold pride of place in the Toowoomba Hospital's Maternity Services Unit to which she was so dedicated for so long. Appropriately, the presentation was made during a MATILDA Line Dancing Group-sponsored competition held in Toowoomba at the weekend. Accepting the cheque and plaque on behalf of the Toowoomba Hospital, Mr Peter Rookas said Anneke Neumann had a special interest in mother/baby education and it would be through one of her much-loved pastimes of line dancing that funds would be generated for further education in that field. [Photo in article captioned as follows - IN LOVING MEMORY: Ms Jan Wyllie of MATILDA Line Dancing Group presents a commemorative plaque featuring a photograph of her late partner in the Janneke Line Dancing Group and Toowoomba Hospital nurse Anneke Neumann, who passed away suddenly last year, to Toowoomba Hospital Foundation's Peter Rookas and Director of Nursing Mary Montgomery, together with $2000.]
Dot a pillar of Oakey community
Born: May 7,1920
Died: June 12, 2002
Dot Nielsen was a mainstay of the Oakey community, involved in a number of organisations, and a talented poet with a passion for her family history. Born in Oakey, Dorothy Mary (Dot) was the second of four children to Richard and Mary Jarvis, dairy farmers in the Kelvinhaugh district. Dot started school at the new Kelvinhaugh State School which was the relocated Maybum school, walking the two miles there and back each day. Eventually, Dot progressed to riding a pony to school, and told stories of the ponies opening the gates, and getting into the children's school bags to eat their lunches.
Dot enjoyed considerable success in horse-riding events at various local shows, due in no small part to her great love of the animals. On leaving school, Dot continued to help out on the family farm until her marriage to Oswald "Ossie' Nielsen in September, 1940, at Scot's Presbyterian Church in Oakey. She then moved three miles to Ossie's family property which would remain their home for the rest of their lives. Dot maintained a strong involvement in rural life as a wife, and mother to five children: Beth, Trevor, Heather, Graham and Keith. She supported her children as they became involved in competing at local shows, and also found the time to be active in the local community. Dot's creativity and love of verse inspired her to pen a poem for special occasions, and her snippets of original verse were treasured by those who received them. She also developed an interest in genealogy, and compiled a comprehensive family tree which was used for articles she prepared for the Goombungee Historical Society. After Ossie's sudden death in 1980, Dot maintained her interest in the family farm, and forged even stronger relationships with women throughout the district. She was involved in the local ladies' club, and enjoyed the activities organised by this group. Dot always had a bright and cheery outlook on life, and was disappointed when illness forced her to give up those activities which added so much enjoyment to her days.
She was always sustained by the love and support of her family, to whom she was close, and especially enjoyed spending time with her 11 grandchildren and 11 great grand children. After a short illness, Dot Nielsen died aged 82.
Published in "The Chronicle", Toowoomba 26th September 2002.
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