The service celebrating the life of Mrs. Elsie May Jones will be held in St. Leonard's Uniting Church, cnr. New St & Wolesly Grove Brighton on Tuesday June 13 commencing at 10am.

A Private Cremation will follow

In lieu of flowers, donations to you choice of charity would be appreciated.

Mrs. Elsie May Cowland Jones passed away peacefully at St. Benedict's nursing home on June 7 2006.
Dearly beloved wife of Lloyd (dec). Loving Father of Trevor. Adored Mumaye of Matthew, Loretta, Rachael & Damian.
Great Grandma of Joshua.
Dear sister of Jack (dec), Judy (dec), Vincent, Roma & Gloria (dec).

Peace at last
We love you forever

Eulogy as delivered by her son Trevor on June 13th 2006 at St. Leonards Uniting Church, Brighton Beach.

Dear Mum, I know you dont want me standing here today on this occassion. For once, though, I must over-ride you. You see Elsie always wanted to 'get on' with things without any fuss and bother; she was a highly practical woman. However, she always loved a little gathering of close friends and family where she could hold the floor. Today. Mum you have a bigger gathering and with your permission, I will hold the floor for you - but not for too long. 32 years ago this month, a similar gathering was held for my Dad in this very place. Please Dad, help me today. To see you all attending this beautiful church today makes me feel warm inside and I know Mum, you feel the same.

I can hear Mum now relating a little incident at her home in Kew (especially on Christmas day) followed by a loud belly laugh. I was so embarassed. Vincent (Mum's brother) would have handkerchief in hand, wiping the tears running down his face.
Christmas day was very special for the Smith family (Elsie's maiden name); family members would start arriving in the afternoon and the laughter and joyfulness would continue well into the evening. The venue for many years was 42 Tennyson Street, Kew (my Grandparents' home). It was ironic that my Grandma, Cecil Gertrude Smith, became ill on Christmas day 1962, was admitted to Royal Melbourne Hospital and died there 3 weeks later. Similar Christmas day gatherings were then held at 322 South Road, Moorabbin (Mum and Dad's home) for another 14 years until 1976. Mum was the driving force behind these occassions and co-ordinated all facets. A Christmas tree was decorated weeks before and on the day a mountain of gifts would lay beneath. Each person attending would receive 3 gifts; one from Grandma, one from Judy (Mum's elder sister who died in 1982) and one from "all", that expression representing "the family". The gift tag was actually say "from All". Mum would have complete control of the gifts "from all". Lists would be drawn up, discussions would take place, monies collected and marked off, a box would be filled and Mum would wrap and label them for the big day - to "so and so" love from "all".

Mum spent her early days growing up on the family 6 acre farmlet in Greensborough together with 8 - 10 cows (Peggy being the favourite one) and Davey the dog. Her day would begin delivering milk to a few customers in the local area by scooping milk from the pail. It is so sad that those and similar activities cannot continue in the so called modern era.
In Greensborough, Mum grew up with two special friends: Elsie Frazer, who died in 2003, and May Simons who may be here today. Mum and May were close friends for all of 75 years and shared holidays together at Portsea, Marysville and Warburton. In fact, when staying at Warburton Chalet in the 1930's, that was when Mum and Dad met which started a union of nearly 40 years.

Mum was awarded a scholarship at the end of her intermediate year at the local Greensborough school. She attended Bradshaw's Business College in Melbourne and obtained a secretarial qualification. She worked for approximately 10 years in the city and loved every minute of it (so the family tells me). One of her employers was Wenzel's in Flinders Lane, a company forming part of the flourishing rag trade following the great depression. Mum's two friends would travel to the city by train with her from Hurstbridge and on occassions one of the friends, Elsie Frazer, would be seen running through the fields, trying to catch the train at the next station. She was a lean fit girl and I have been told, always managed to catch the train. To be late for work in those days was serious.

I have a collection of writings and later of voice recordings by Gloria Pascoe (Mum's younger sister) over 25 years. They were edited and collated by a friend following her passing in March 2004. I want to read one story which was composed by Gloria in 1999 which illustrates the strong bond between Mum and her family. It is titled "Thursday - what a day"
(Trevor read this story to the congregation)

Mum was a competitive and proficient sports person. When the family moved to Kew when she was about 20 years of age, Mum joined the North Kew Tennis club and won many tournaments. Her sister Roma (6 1/2 years her junior) also played there. I don't know whether they won and doubles crown together. I remember the trohpies stored in the outside laundry at the Moorabbin home. Where they are now I do not know. Mum was never one to brag about those things. My family and I were studying some old photos the other night. There was a beautiful one of Mum in tennis attire on the court at North Kew. That photo and several others will be in the church hall afterwards if you wish to bring back memories.

Following her marriage to Lloyd in 1941, Mum continued her tennis enjoyment, this time socially at a private court in Gordon Street Brighton. Frank Sedgman lived on the other side of the street and occassionaly Mum and her friends would catch glimpses of him. Apparently he was good looking in those days.

Mum continued her sporting prowess at the Moorabbin Bowling Club but not before her times on the golf course. The latter I know little about. She was a member of Moorabbin Bowling Club for some 25 years. My Dad was a foundation member there in 1954. Mum played pennant bowls for many of those years on Tuesday's and later as a social bowler. She was the pairs champion of the club some 20 years ago. Her name remains on the honour board at the club together with her partner, Fran Jeffery, who I think has joined us today.

I was priveleged to care for Mum for 6 years from February 2000, and we had much fun, discussions, trials and tribulations.

I trust I served you well Mum.

I will love you forever.

Your loving Son - Trevor