“As I give this eulogy you may like to look at some of the photos that are at the back of the booklet.
I love the photo of mum taken in 1945 with her family. Her parents, Sir Thomas and Marguerite Meagher and her siblings, brothers Phil, Tom and Tim, and younger sister Sara. The youngest -Denis was yet to be born. Mum is about 17 and in her last year of school. She is statuesque, wearing the Loreto uniform, and in true sartorial style, she looks fabulous. She is staring straight at the camera, and I believe you can see in her gaze, that she is ready and eager to experience all that life has to offer.
Ann’s mother died at the age of 48, and she rarely spoke about her when we were growing up. We affectionately called her father Dadda Tom, and Doris his second wife, known to all as Deed, or DeeDee was always our grandmother.
Mum was very loving and caring towards her stepmother, particularly in Deed’s elderly years.
In the last 10 -15 years, however, Mum spoke a lot about her mother, and from her loving and animated stories, what emerged was a picture of a woman very much like her daughter. Mum described her mother as vivacious, energetic, quick-witted, light-hearted- a multitasker, and fun to be with. She was a woman who was very social and had many interesting and unusual friends. She was also married to a somewhat serious, disciplined, and very community focused man.
Mum gained her love of plants and gardens from both her parents. She often told a wonderful story of how her mother planted a Jacaranda which kept sprouting seedlings. Her father would put them up and, as a GP doctor, would give them to his patients. Mum believed that the abundance of Jacarandas in Victoria Park today are from that one tree.
We feel blessed that many of us have inherited this intergeneration trait of wonder and appreciation for the botanical world and the environment. Mum and I would often talk about plants, and she coined these conversations Plant Speak.
From her father, Ann learnt the meaning of community service and like him she went on to be the Kings Park chair of the board.
A few years ago, I took a photo of Ann standing next to a large River Red Gum tree at Kings Park, planted by the Queen in 1953.
A plaque at the bottom of the tree shows a photograph taken at the time of planting with Dadda Tom, then Sir Thomas Meagher looking proudly on.
At the time I took the photo, I think Mum was the only person still alive who knew that the actual tree planted by the Queen had died, and that this was a replacement tree. She loved to tell that story.
While Mum loved her school days at Loreto, she referred to her years at WA University as her Halcyon days. She revelled in the social life and the freedom — particularly as life at home was far from easy. Her mother had debilitating cancer, and Ann was trusted with assisting in the care of her three much younger siblings. From all accounts, she did this task with great grace.
Always the multitasker, Ann juggled looking after the young ones at home and caring for her mother, studying biological science, with a major in Botany, and keeping up a busy social life.
She also embarked on the first of many public positions, as a councillor on the student Guild – one of only three women – and the position of President of the Women’s Union.
At University, she made many lifelong friends, including Rosie McAlleer, her bridesmaid, who is here today.
Her University years were a time of returned service men, their presence at University marked by a maturity and worldly allure. She spoke about one in particular – Jim who was a fabulous dancer.
But it was the tall, handsome, serious, cerebral and studious chemistry student – Denis Cullity- who would claim her heart. It was a case of opposites attracting. They were a magnetic couple, and their love was palpable.
Mum and Dad married in October 1952, when she was 23 and he 24. Nine months later Daniel was born. Her mother willed herself to stay alive to see her first grandchild, and then died a week later.
This was the first of the many life-challenging events for Ann. The joy of giving birth to her first child, and the immense sadness of her much-loved mother dying at the tender age of 48.
Dan, Margy and Mary were all born a year apart, and me two years later- as Dad went to America for a year to study.
All of the first four children were born in July, so, along with Mum’s birthday July was party month.
Denis followed, then Joe, the twins Ruth and Sara and lucky last was John. In all, Mum had 9 children in 12 years – a major feat.
Recently Alice, their grandchild, found a fabulous video of the opening of Channel 9 in Perth – Dad 37, the inaugural chairman, in a black tuxedo, and Mum 36, in a fabulous slim-fitting, white lace cocktail dress, as they greeted the dignitaries.
There were many things to love about Mum. Being in her orbit meant there was always activity, fun, creative projects, and interesting people constantly coming through the house.
Mum embraced all that was modern, new, and progressive. In the mid-to-late 60s, chops and three vegetables were replaced with Spaghetti Bolognese, Chicken Vol au vans, Fondus, Osso Bucco, and the all-new prawn and avocado vinaigrette. All dishes were given a liberal slosh of Uncle Tom’s burgeoning Vasse Felix wines to impart a continental flavour.
Mum had the ability to be extremely practical during the day, and very glamorous at night. She tendered and oversaw a large one-acre garden and was particularly adept at fixing irrigation.
During different seasons, a variety of time-consuming planting would take place. Hundreds of sweet peas were planted for spring, and her favourite, petunias, were planted in summer—always a brilliant show for the big summer parties she effortlessly hosted.
Another of her practical skills was fixing and fiddling with electrical appliances. When going with Dad on his frequent overseas trips, she would take a screwdriver and plyers, and in the days before universal plugs, would rewire the plugs, so she could use her one essential accessory – the Carmen Curler hot rollers.
About three months ago, I assisted her to put hot rollers in her hair, and a flood of memories came back. In particular the first time they arrived at the house and I was mum’s guinea pig. The hot roller first burnt my sculpt and then got caught in my hair and had to be cut out, but it was all for a good cause.
Probably her most prized skill in the neighbourhood, was her ability to back a trailer at the boat ramp. The only other woman who possessed such a skill was our neighbour the wonderful Glen Packer.
Mum could also change tack quickly.
Sometimes around 4pm or even later, Dad would ring up and say, ‘Honey, I’m bringing home 5 Norwegian businessmen for dinner. Mum would rush down to the shops for supplies, come back, feed all of us, prepare a dinner for the guests, dash off to her room, and come out looking fabulous. She would then proceed to thoroughly entertain Dad’s colleagues.
We loved weekend nature excursions with Mum. It was Kings Park and up into the hills in winter, and of course in summer it was hours at Cottesloe Beach.
A particularly idiosyncratic outing was called ‘Bride Hunting’’. This involved piling in the car, mum stopping at the ice cream shop, and going to wedding locations, such as churches and Kings Park.
We would discuss bridal fashion and marvel at the magic of all. For young children, particularly the girls it was as good as a fairy tale.
Mum was a bit of a thrill seeker, particularly when she was behind the wheel. We would goad her on to go as fast as possible through puddles, so that it sprayed water onto the next car. The best puddle after rain was outside Christ Church School on Stirling Highway. Much to our amusement she once managed to create a very large spray that almost wet the male driver of a MG sports car.
Mum loved a big event or party – the bigger the better, particularly if it included elaborate decorations. She had certain sayings during the preparation.
We would all be given a task, and she would repeat sayings like ‘battle stations everyone,’ ‘put your running shoes on the clock is ticking.’ and clean up mess A before you start mess B’’. We loved being a part of this pre-party drama.
Mum loved fashion and new trends and was an avid reader of fashion magazines. Even in her 90s, she would remark about what was, in her words, ‘on trend’, be it fashion, food, or personalities.
Mum had a great facility for friendship and being inclusive. She often said that you need to ‘attend your friendships like you cultivate your garden,’ and by that, I took it to mean that in order to have good relationships, you need to be attentive, be generous, and care about your friend’s wellbeing.
She also excelled in being optimistic and light-hearted with people and seeing the glass half full.
One of her sayings that particularly resonated or us was ‘if you think of doing something nice for someone, just do it.
Mum was always extremely welcoming and friendly to whoever came to the home, whether they were supposedly important people that Dad bought home, the bridge girls, guests for a party, or people who came to fix things around the house.
The latter were always treated with great respect, given ample cups or tea, coffee, and biscuits, praised for their skills, paid promptly, and given a friendly goodbye at the door when they left.
She also had a great capacity for including people who were struggling. At times, we would groan if she insisted that so and so had to come to Christmas dinner, Easter, or some other occasion, but she was right— it made a difference.
Mum’s sense of public service never wavered, and even with nine children, she was always involved in community activities. Over her lifetime she was the president or chair of seven boards and committees, with the chair of Kings Park board being her favourite
She was also a patron, trustee, and committee member of 22 organisations, and a founding member of six committees and organisations – including the Kings Park Guides, Scitech Discovery Board, the WA Open Garden Scheme, and the University of WA Centenary Trust for Women.
She received five honorary awards including an Order of Australia.
Ann was a gardener of the human spirit; she knew the meaning of cultivation – how to nurture, have purpose, pay attention, connect, transform, and most importantly care.
She grew relationships and tended to life’s experiences.
She created beauty and imbued meaning in the world, which radiated ever outwards to the benefit of many.