SCHOOL REUNION - 40 YEARS

I attended high school from the years 1971 - 1973 (Grades 8-10) at Marian Secondary School for Girls in North Rockhampton.  Last year was 40 years since leaving school, as these things take quite a while to locate people and then to organise things we finally celebrated our 40th school reunion on the 31st May 2014 in Rockhampton.  It took me quite a while to get my head around the whole - 40 years since leaving school thing !!!

 

So when looking through the photos you will be wondering why guys there when it was a school for girls, we went to a Catholic school so for those of you who don't know firstly in primary school we had both boys and girls from Grades 1-4, the boys then left and went to an all boys school - "St. Stanislaus". After grade 7 us girls then went on to Marian, both schools were next to each other and in grade 9 and 10 we had some co-ed classes so we all became friends once again.  The girls and guys had a separate 20 year reunion in 1993, we decided a joint Marian/St.Stans joint one for the 40 year reunion would be great to get everyone together and it was great fun.  My husband attended St. Stans but we didn't go to primary school together, my primary school was St. Mary's in North Rockhampton and Stephen's primary school was St. Joseph's in Park Avenue.  As there were only 2 catholic high schools for boys and girls in Rockhampton, one being on the North side and one on the South side, there were boys and girls from different primary schools attending the same high school.

 

Firstly in the afternoon we had a "meet and greet" at the local bowls club and then we played some "bare foot bowls", it was the first time for all of us, we had a great time, lots of laughs had by all.  The guy in the blue shirt started the ball rolling and instrumental in locating most of us for the reunion, the other six (moi in the green shirt) was our team for the bowls.

 

 

This is the group of girls that attended from Marian - 19, a great effort as only a handful still live in Rockhampton, most of us travelled to be there. I am sitting in the front row on the right with the black and white blouse.



Here we are again......

Here is a photo taken in October 1993 of our 20 year school reunion, this was taken after an afternoon tea held in one of the class rooms at the school, then we went to dinner with our partners. In this photo I am in the front row with navy blazer and short blonde hair.

This is our grade 10 photo, innocent little 15 year olds......  I am in the black row on the far right.

Here is a group photo with Marian girls and St. Stan boys.

A photo of the guys that attended.  My husband, Stephen is sitting down in front row with a blue shirt on between the two with glasses.

 

This group started primary school together at St. Mary's in 1964 - 50 years ago.

 

And here we are as cute little 5/6 year olds.   Can you see me ?  I am in the first row of girls third from the right with the short blonde hair...

Here we all are just after our "First Holy Communion"

 

This is me with Libby, my best friend through the whole of school from Grade 1 - 10, it's such a shame we lost contact for a lot of years.  We are now FB friends and it's great to chat from time to time.  Libby has 4 children and 10 grand children.... meanwhile neither of my girls are married yet.

 

 

Here I am with Donna, another great friend from school, we certainly had some fun times.

 

Ahhh the memories, I wouldn't have missed it.  We are having another reunion for our 45 years in 2018 and I am organising it, yikes.......  As we were all chatting through the night we discovered the majority come from South East Queensland now and most had to travel for the reunion so the next one is going to be down Gold Coast way......  By then most should be retired....

 

Cheers

Kaylee



MY DAD

My Dad - Keith Allan Smith Born to working class Australians in Mt. Morgan on 27th January 1933, he went to school in Mt. Morgan leaving at age 15, gaining an apprenticeship as a Carriage Painter with Queensland Railways in Rockhampton, he then moved to Rockhampton to live at a men's boarding house whilst completing his apprenticeship.  He did his National Service at Wacol in Brisbane in 1951.  He married my Mum at the age of 25, I am the eldest of 3 children.  Dad worked for QR until his retirement in 1998.  He was the most wonderful gentle caring man, I never heard him say a bad work about anyone, he was a real gentleman.

 

This is a photo of him as a young man, so handsome.

 



 

 

 This is my Dad on his 81st Birthday, 27th January 2014.

Dad passed away on 17th May 2014, I love him very much and will miss him dearly.  It was very sudden and such a great shock to all of us. I remember when we were little and didn't have a TV Dad would sit at out bedroom doorway each night and read us stories at bedtime.  Dad loved his sport and watched the tennis, cricket and rugby league on TV, we shared our passion for rugby league and during the league season we had many conversations about the game, the refs, the players, I will miss those conversations too.

Dear Dad,

GOD LOOKED AROUND HIS GARDEN AND FOUND AN EMPTY PLACE, HE THEN LOOKED DOWN UPON THE EARTH AND SAW YOUR TIRED FACE.

HE PUT HIS ARMS AROUND YOU AND LIFTED YOU TO REST.  GODS GARDEN MUST BE BEAUTIFUL, HE ALWAYS TAKES THE BEST.

HE SAW THE ROAD WAS GETTING ROUGH AND THE HILLS WERE GETTING HARD TO CLIMB. 

SO HE CLOSED YOUR WEARY EYE LIDS, AND WHISPERED “PEACE BE THINE”.

IT BROKE MY HEART TO LOSE YOU BUT YOU DIDN’T GO ALONE, FOR PART OF ME WENT WITH YOU THE DAY GOD CALLED YOU HOME.  GOD WILL LINK THE BROKEN CHAIN, CLOSER WHEN WE MEET AGAIN.

You will forever be in our thoughts, our hearts and our prayers.

Love
Kaylee
xxx