Tribute to Nessie

Nessie’s contribution remembered

By Sally Joyce

The late Nessie Pratten in 2016 at Peachester State School with garden club friend Trish Bradford

Members of the Garden Club, CWA, Historical Society and the school in Peachester joined family members of the late Nessie Pratten to unveil a memorial stone and plaque in the Peachester State School’s ANZAC garden to honour the contribution Nessie made to the Peachester community.

Nessie passed away in March 2018 aged 99 and is remembered as a long standing and much loved member of the community for her innate ability to make friends, for her kindness, for her intelligence, her stoicism and ability to speak her mind.

She gave 25 years of service as a parent at Peachester State School and, in fact, enrolled her youngest son Billy at the school before he was born as a means of boosting numbers to keep the school open.

Nessie was an active member of the CWA and contributed a wealth of knowledge to Peachester’s history archives.

Nessie's memorial stone

Nessie’s rose presented a timely beautiful bud to those attending her memorial

One of Nessie’s many talents was mastering the pioneer crafts of lacemaking as well as wool spinning, which she was still doing until her death last year.

Nessie loved to share her passion for gardening, which she continued until she was 97. She often stated that gardening was what kept her alive. In 2016 she gifted a rose from her own garden to the school’s ANZAC garden along with a lovely story of its sentimentality.

Nessie always took the time to speak to children and help children. She gained so much joy from having children visit her garden.

It is was with joy that those who came together celebrated Nessie’s memorial stone, resting in Peachester and surrounded by children playing, under the watchful eye of a rose from her very own garden.