AnneLloydThomas.AnneLloydThomas History

Show minor edits - Show changes to output - Cancel

Changed lines 1-3 from:
(:title Anne Lloyd Thomas: Sue Rowley, my very dear sister-not-in-law:)

to:
(:title Anne Lloyd Thomas:)

!!
Sue Rowley, my very dear sister-not-in-law

Changed line 40 from:
6.09.16
to:
6.09.16
Added lines 1-38:
(:title Anne Lloyd Thomas: Sue Rowley, my very dear sister-not-in-law:)


As you begin, so you continue. I first met Sue  in their flat somewhere in
Melbourne when David and I were back  briefly – maybe in 1972 with 5 year old
Katie, on our circuitous way back from 6 months in Milwaukee to our home in
London. She cooked roast lamb, but already not the roast lamb of Melbourne in
the 1970’s, spicy delicious exotic roast lamb. By our next visit – to another
Melbourne flat – there were our two children, bouncing ecstatically on Jim and
Sue’s water bed.

And so it did continue over the years, building this increasingly close, loving  and
very extended family, us four first and gradually the four cousins, across the
enormous distances, intermittently together, but supportive across the distances,
remembering birthdays and family Christmas, staying with each other; later the
children visiting separately., then with partners, even with grandchildren.

So much of the closeness was due to Sue, her warmth, her inclusiveness, her
readiness to involve. In all those years maybe two joint family Christmases; at
Eastern View Anna learned that every Christmas stocking MUST contain a pair of
pretty knickers. Sue and I cooked together, talked, shared knitting patterns,
shopped for each other’s children’s birthdays.

Sue and Jim admirably balanced professional and family life. But it is Sue the
‘sister-in-law’ I am going to miss, the ‘sister’ who helped us make and hold
together an extended family stretched across the globe, who when we were
together shared family concerns, intellectual interests and day–to-day life  - in
London, Wollongong, Williamstown, Eastern View, Clyro and Wolfden.

When David and I made our three emergency dashes to Melbourne, Sue and Jim
had a home for us – and they were with us in London within a week when David
died. I will not be there on Friday except in my thoughts, but I do hope that very
soon Jim and I will be together to support each other and remember the missing
two, and I do hope that the ‘family’ will continue with the next generations.

Anne Lloyd Thomas 

6.09.16


Page last modified on September 14, 2016, at 10:09 AM