GLENDA MARY 

Glenda Mary Hunter
Photo: Courtesy of Katarina Silvester Photography 

Today we should be celebrating with cake and drinks, toasting the 49th birthday of my sister-in-law.  However, that did not eventuate as the powers to be had another plan for our beautiful lady.  So instead, I've written a tribute to one of the most selfless, generous, kind, humble, loving and courageous ladies who has made an enormous difference to so many lives.   

On 11 July 1970, a beautiful baby girl entered this world. Rodney and Lynne Sargood of Harold Park, Tambo were given the task of being her loving parents.  Glenda was the second eldest of the Sargood family with Anne-Marie, Jamie and David as siblings.   Glenda's education began in 1976 at Tambo State School of which she excelled in her academic journey.  Glenda had a very keen interest in Pony Club and was successful in the gymkhana arenas with her loved horses of "Blackie"  and "Skyes".  

Glenda was awarded Dux of Tambo State School on completion of her Grade 10 studies.  Other awards that were bestowed to Glenda were the Tambo Young Australian of the Year and the Arthur Con Foo Bursary.  Glenda went to Toowoomba where she was boarding at St Ursulas and in 1987 completed her senior year of education at Downlands College, Toowoomba.  

Longreach became Glendas' home after school where she began her nursing training.  Glenda met the love of her life Joe, when she returned home to Tambo to visit family and friends and romance blossomed around 1990. They moved to Tasmania for a period of time whilst Joe worked in the shearing industry.  During their time in Tasmania on the weekends they toured around taking in the majestic scenery and enjoying each others company.  However, this was not their forever home and they both knew they would return to Queensland where they selected to reside in the western town of Roma.  

On taking up residence at Roma in December 1990 they both secured employment at the Roma Hospital. Glenda loved nursing and spent most of her time working in theatre and in later years Triage and Administration.  

On 15 August 1992 Glenda and Joe were united in marriage at St Ursulas Catholic Church in Toowoomba.  After a wonderful honeymoon in Vanuatu they purchased their first home at Curry Street, Roma.  

Their family grew when a beautiful, curly haired baby girl was born in 1996 and was completed with the arrival of the their beautiful son in 1999.  

After several years Glenda decided to take a chance and change careers.  She ventured into the field of Crisis Housing and the Disability Services Sector.  Glenda continued to nurse on the weekends to keep her nursing status.  

From her childhood days growing up on the family property at Tambo, the love of the land remained with Glenda, which saw them purchasing Bungil View just north of Roma.  Glenda had a very artistic and creative talent and she decided she would buy her own business and venture into the Floral Industry with the purchase of "The Floral Nook".  This business became her new found passion and one she excelled at immensely.  Her commitment to working 7 days a week, working dusk till dawn was immeasurable and she kept soldiering on and never complained.  

As Glenda faced ill health it was time to sell her beloved business she had built up from hard work and lots of love and deep commitment.  Shortly after this, the family decided to move back into town and sold their rural retreat of Bungil View (otherwise known as Hunters Hill!) It was during this time period that Glenda was diagnosed with Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer.  For many years, Glenda had numerous operations and again she displayed true spirit, positiveness and strength during the entire journey.  These were her strongest virtues.  She never showed how hard it was for her, instead she took on everyone else's grief.  Glen decided to create as many memories for her and the family as she could and so began the European travel adventures, Concert crawling by attending every possible musical artist that visited Australia! Cher and Shania Twain just to name a few, visits to family and friends and a return journey to Tasmania with Joe.  

I was fortunate to have Glenda and the family visit me and spend some valuable family time together, where we enjoyed the beauty of the Whitsunday Coastline and the rainforests of Eungella in pursuit of the evasive platypus.  

One thing I do know about my sister-in-law is that her love of family never ever wained.  She treated everyone with the upmost respect and always saw good in people she encountered.  One of her strongest loves were her husband and children and the immense love of family.   The children in our families, both Sargoods and Hunters are richer for having an Aunt of this calibre in their lives.  She always wanted to know of their achievements and concerns for their health and always having their best interests at heart and never missed a birthday.   Her love for her nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews was so very deep and they all have been blessed to have an Aunty so beautiful.  

Glenda wanted to put her love of music and  her family together by hosting a "Living Wake".  To accommodate the punters in the family (and there are a few of them!) she combined it with a Roma Race day.  Family and friends travelled vast distances to be there to share in the creation of memories that we will hold dear in our hearts forever.  Along with fine food, a few champagnes, great laughter and the odd bet or two we all partied into the night and sang and danced to honour Glens final wishes.  During the entire weekend, Glens smile was infectious and through the pain, she kept on going, laughing continually and enjoying everyones company.  

The Sargood Family

The Hunter Family minus one

Forever Loved 

Laughter all around

Cousins Reunited

Group gathering by the photographer who wasn't the photographer! 

The one thing Glen taught me through this journey was to be grateful for the blessings I have and to never give up hope.  I know I left it to the very end before I told her how I really felt, I guess we all take it for granted that we have time.  But what is time? It can be taken from us in an instant...and then what? It's too late.. so my advise to you reading this tribute, is to tell those around you that you love them, smile and always be kind, find that inner courage to continue in the journey of life and most of all be humble. And in Glenda's own words "Fake it, till you make it"

I remember saying to her when the weekend of celebrations was ending "Was it everything you hope for?" Her response was "Most definitely, it exceeded it Rose!"

The Hunter Family
Photo: Courtesy of Katarina Silvester Photography 

Sadly our families and friends of the beautiful Glenda Mary were brought together only 4 weeks later to bid our final farewell.  Glenda lost her battle to Cancer on 22 March 2019.  Given her diagnosis, we were blessed to be able to have more time than is usually spared with this type of cancer.  She beat the odds of surviving past 5 years and for that we will always be grateful.   I thank you for being so courageous and giving us all the chance to be by your side.  She will be forever young.

So whilst you may not be here with us, we can still raise our glass, turn up the music and toast the birthday girl, just as you would want us too.  Cheers to you lovely lady.  

In closing I leave you with this: 

My husband had the opportunity to tell Glenda the following:

"Being a punter I can only compare you to Winx.  A truely remarkable girl, a champion with a big heart who is a crowd favourite loved by all.  Glen you inspire me with your courage, dignity and selflessness of placing others before yourself.  Only at the agony of parting are the depths of love really understood.  I will drown in tears.  Love you Glenda, and our families and lives have been truely blessed by your presence"   

I think this sums our girl up perfectly.  Don't you? 

Stella Maud Buckland, nee Mitchell. 1 Dec 1920 - 30 Nov 2018

Today I had to enter a fact into my family history database and it broke my heart. 

Roseann and Aunty Maud at her 95th birthday in 2015

You see today is supposed to be one of joy and celebration.  My beautiful Aunt was turning 98.  I had some precious time with her only 5 weeks ago and she was fantastic.  Her mind was sharp as she recalled many stories of her past.  Her smile was infectious and she was joking around as she usually does with her very great sense of humour. 

The thought did cross my mind at the time of “will I see this beautiful soul again”?  As we progress through life the older we get we do actually think of this more often.  Why is that?  Is it because we are vulnerable and know that we all have an expiry date?  Yes, I do believe that is the case!  We just don’t want to talk about the loss, we condition ourselves to work through life as it is thrown at us.  We cannot live in fear of the unknown and what is out of our control, we must live for the now and create the most precious memories we can.  But silently we cannot help but let these thoughts creep into our minds from time to time. 

9 years and 11 months ago I had to say goodbye to my Mother.  She was one 16 children and yes, I will admit I do cling to memories that are within my heart, it’s what keeps me going.  And here I am today on 1 Dec 2018 finding myself grieving for my Mothers sister and my beautiful Aunt and her family.   Last night the Angels called her home just hours short of her 98^th birthday. 

This brings back the emotions of my own loss and knowing what my siblings and I had to endure at the time and knowing that my cousins are now faced with this event and have to work through another chapter of their lives.  As I was growing up I never really stopped to think of how my parents coped with loss, they both seemed to have it all together.  I never knew my grandparents on my Mother side.  Grandma Mitchell died long before I was born and I was only 2 when Grandfather Mitchell died.  I was 15 and 25 when I lost my paternal grandparents, and yes it was sad at the time but I don’t believe I really understood what my father was going through at the time.  It was just before I was 25 that I had commenced my family history and I was starting to realise for the first time what this “life” journey was about!

Back to my lovely Aunt.  This lady was and will always be very close to my heart, as I recall the memories of my childhood and her visits to our home.  She would always, and I mean she never ever missed bring me a bag of lollies on each visit except for one occasion she gave me a dollar and said “go around the shops and buy some lollies to share”.  I would have been no more than 7 or 8 years old.  In those days, you could get 5 snakes or red frogs for 1 cent!!  I would return home with this enormous brown paper bag full of lollies and was happy.  Until the lolly police arrived and confiscated the bag!  Mum would then issue a couple of lollies a day to us kids!  There are many, many more memories that I hold dear but this one is my favourite.  You see, even as an adult I would visit her at her home in Toowoomba and when she knew we were coming she would always have a bag of lollies for me! 

My message and reminder to myself today is that Life is precious, we will never get this moment of time back…EVER.  Sit with your loved ones, listen to them, take the photos and videos, hold their hand and gently care for them, capture and cherish your time with each and every person who comes into your lives, friends included. 

May you rest in peace Stella Maud Buckland, nee Mitchell.  Until I see you again .. I hope they have lollies in heaven!! If not I'll settle for a huge hug 💝 Love you forever.