MS NOELENE GORDON

An excerpt from the Eulogy for past staff member Ms Noelene Gordon written and presented by her children Ms Michelle Harland nee Gordon (NC Past Mother) and Mr Rick Gordon.

We’re here today to celebrate the life of our wonderful mother Noelene Elizabeth Mary Gordon... Mum had a long-term partner, George, was a mother of four - including my twin Stephen who died at birth. She was a grandmother of six and great grandmother of five... Mum had a lot of challenges in her life. Her father passed away when she was five, her wonderful elder brother Syl (who has also now passed), was 10, and her beautiful sister Trish Mannion, who is with us today, was only 3 weeks old. Then a family of four, their mother did her best to keep the family together until she passed away from leukaemia when mum was 14. As was the case in those days, the three siblings were separated and sent to live with other families. While it was difficult to stay in touch with Trish in Redcliffe and Syl and mum in different homes in Toowoomba, they always loved each other and fully reconnected when they were young adults. Their close connection from then on, was a testament to the strength of love and family ties.

Her interest in sport likely stemmed from her position as sports secretary at Nudgee College, a job mum held for 25 years until she retired in 2000 aged 64. Mum told me she once met the Australian Rugby Union team when they were training at the college. She really liked John Eels, the captain at the time. Mum was beside him on the stage at an event and he said to mum, ‘Gee it’s cold, isn’t it?’ Mum thought it was funny how someone so big and strong still felt the cold. Mum met her best friend Mary during this time and Mary is here with us today. Mum and Mary travelled overseas together for many weeks with mum keeping a detailed diary of their adventures which were read to us. Mum clearly didn’t adhere to the –what happens on holiday stays on holiday, school of thought.

Over 25 years, things were always going to change. Unfortunately, Mum didn’t like change.

Mum hated the first computer in her office. It was a useful paperweight but not much else.

Being an old-school administrator, mum liked the typewriter, and pens and paper. She didn’t even trust the calculator and would add up streams of figures in her head, always getting the total right. One of mum’s colleagues came into her office one afternoon and turned her computer off. Legend has it mum turned to him and said,’’Why did you do that? The only thing I know what to do on that computer is turn it off.”

My overwhelming memories of mum are; her resilience, courage, great sense of humour, her laugh and smiling face, her unconditional love for family, her ability to stash lollies in the most unlikely places to avoid their detection, her opera singing –famously her renditions of “On top of old smokey” and “How much is that doggy in the window”, her love of dancing and gardening, and of course her famous eye-roll.

In mum’s retirement speech in 2000, mum said the two-line ad for the job at Nudgee College placed by mum’s soon to be dear friend Maggie Shaw, changed her life for 25 years and to quote mum, introduced her ‘to the beat of the college with all its amazing friendships and excitement.’

Mum also mentioned in her speech that the Principal Brother Connors was happy with her work on one hand but her enthusiasm for having cheques signed immediately gave him the irrits. He apparently tactfully suggested to mum that he did have other things to do and that a visit from mum less frequently would be a good idea.

When our boys (Cooper NCOB 2016 and Flynn NCOB 2018) were interviewed for Nudgee College, we were extremely grateful the sentiments of friendship and love in mum’s retirement cards still held true. When the boys were accepted, I said to mum, thank God you didn’t annoy anyone. On re-reading the cards recently that was never going to be an issue as mum was held in such high esteem with her sense of humour, efficiency and fun, a common theme from the staff, parents and students alike. While today the loss of mum is unfathomable, I’m told that grief ebbs and flows and I will just have to learn how to swim this new tide.

Michelle and I stand before you in God’s house as proud children of our mother Noelene Elizabeth Mary Gordon. We loved her and will miss her always.