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My mother passed away fourteen years ago this month. There is not a day goes by that I don't remember her with love, affection and gratitude for the life and love she gave to me.

My wonderful Mum came to Australia as a war bride. She lived in India until she was 21, when she met my Dad who was on leave from the war. They met, married and three weeks later were on a boat to Australia.

Poor Mum, she had no idea what she had let herself in for. She came to a strange country, was left to live with slightly hostile relatives she had never met before and who had never even heard of her, and her husband went back to the war. She then found out she was pregnant and her son (my brother) was born. He did not get to meet his father until the war was over and he was six months old.

After the war ended Mum began her life as a farmer's wife. They had no money, lived in an old dump of a house with borrowed and secondhand furniture, and Mum began teaching herself how to cook, sew, keep house and raise children - three in all. She also had to deal with the fact that she had no family in this country and so was very isolated. Dad's family and friends had to become her family and friends. Over the years she gradually lost all members of her family and my heart broke for her when the inevitable telegram arrived, or phone message was received.

To all who knew her she was an absolutely amazing woman. Besides having a heart of gold and helping anyone who needed any assistance of any sort, my Mum quickly learned how to sew, knit and crochet all of our clothes, she was a brilliant cook and entertainer and she worked very hard on the farm assisting my Dad. People of all ages came to Mum for advice and she intuitively knew how to comfort and console people in their hour of need.

As far as being my mother, well, she was just my whole world. I loved her for her generosity, caring, her love for her children and grandchildren and I loved her particularly for the wonderful role model that she was. I was so grateful because I was lucky enough to have her as my Mum. She was the centre of our family, and now life without her has changed us all. We've had to learn to be without her physical presence, to be without her love and support, and to try to become the example that she would want us to be.

We all miss you so much - My Mum. (Marjory Helen Poett (nee Speirs) 1922 - 1993)

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