Cheers, Daddy!

Well, it’s been a while and the Walshes have marked some very sad milestones in recent years…

Dear Uncle Alan passed away on February 11, 2007 and his daughter, our cousin, Dianne (aged 52) followed on May 11.

Within a month of each other, our cousins Stewart (aged 49 of Wagga Wagga) and Neville (aged 60 years and one day, of Mount Martha) died – on February 2, and on February, 27, 2012,  respectively. Stewart passed away suddenly and Neville, after an illness. Both left behind loving families and friends. Dear Uncle Allen (of Bradvale) died peacefully on Thursday afternoon, April 26, 2012. We miss him and his gentle ways. Earlier this year, Uncle Hector (mum’s cousin, aged 90) left us, on May 2, with lots of fond memories of Airey’s Inlet and trips to Melbourne.

And today we said a teary farewell to Brian (aged 85). He was a devoted and cherished husband of 54 years to Jean, very much-loved father of  Janatha, Eleanor, Caroline, Catherine, Martin, Gregory and Rosemary, grandfather to Malachy and Loulou, father-in-law to David, Alan, David, Janine and Rosy. A loving brother to Allen (dec.), Nancy and Geoff. Faithful master to Cooper and many other pets over the years (Mac, Ben, Suzi, Sandy, Roo – to name a few).

So now, I suppose, he will be in heaven with his mum and dad – our Nana and Pa – and Uncle Allen, nephews Craig, Stewart, Murray and Neville, and niece Diane and all the relatives and friends he’s talked about over the years and who meant something to him. He’ll be, no doubt, up for a few rounds of golf with his buddies, Uncle Ted and Uncle Peter, exchanging clever repartee with Uncle Allen, and probably popping his head around the corner to check out some of his old workmates who may still be slaving away over plans and drawings on a draughtsman’s table. Maybe he will invite them to lunch for a steak and a $2.00 bottle of Grange like the old days…

Golfing with mates...

I wonder if he’ll be shaking his head at us when we don’t mind our manners, and chide us when we mix metaphors. Will he still correct our poor grammar and upbraid us when we use “foul Americanisms” instead of speaking the Queen’s English? (Elle is exempt from this due to her extended exposure to the “Yanks”.) Will he still rant about stupid people and denounce the nonsense published in the newspapers? How very annoying that he’s almost always right.

In heaven, will he still enjoy doing crosswords and crostics, sipping on Australian reds and chomping fresh oysters? Will he re-read the Rumpole of the Bailey stories with as much pleasure second time around? Will he share his Green Tomato Pickles recipe and make home brews? I hope he does lots of bagpiper impersonations. They were great fun to watch when we were little and made us giggle till our tummies hurt.

Daddy writing

I hope that all the little things that niggled him towards the end are no longer a source of irritation and worry. I hope the wretched coughing and wheezing have ceased and do not return to distress him. I really hope he doesn’t start smoking again.

Dad by Allen

Most of all I hope he is at peace. He deserves a bit of rest and some quiet. His patience, worn thin towards the end, was still pretty amazing over 85 years when you come to think of it.

I hope that he finds someone as good as me to beat him at Scrabble (or at least give him a run for his money). Oh, and dad, if you happen to find any $2.00 bottles of Penfolds Grange, maybe you will send them our way.

Love you, daddy, and miss you already. XXXXXXXX

Feb 28, 1929 - Sept 10, 2014