On January 21, 2025 at Grassmere.
Loved wife of Ian (dec.).
Loved mother and mother-in-law of Paul, Andrew and Karen.
Aged 90 years
*****
Friends and family of MARLENE are invited to attend a Graveside Service at the Darlington Cemetery, Hamilton Highway, Darlington on FRIDAY (January 31) commencing at 11.00am.
Marlene was to all of our family a beautiful example of humility, love, faith and such willing and dedicated service. It didn’t matter our various ages, Marlene would engage in conversation with us with genuine interest, and would share some of the profound things she gleaned throughout her life. She really was like a precious gem. With sympathy to the family.
January 30, 2025To Paul,Andrew and Karen. Our love and condolences on the passing of your dear Mother. A kind and generous friend. I first met Marlene when she asked if you could start school Paul. It was such a privilege and joy to teach you and Andrew. Marlene and I shared your many achievements with excitement and joy in those early years. May the love of God give you His Peace and strength today and always.
January 30, 2025To Paul .Andrew & Karen
Our sincere condolences on the loss of your mother a wonderful woman gone to rest with her beloved Ian
Your family have been great friends and neighbour’s of our family for many years
RIP Marlene
The McKenna family
Marlene was a remarkable, loving, and caring woman dedicated to her husband, Ian and their two sons, Paul and Andrew. She was so happy to travel to Adelaide with Ian and Paul to celebrate Andrew and Karen’s marriage. Marlene was involved with Yooralla for years and travelled from the family farm in Grassmere to help many families who needed support with disabilities, etc., also driving to Melbourne for meetings at the head office while still providing the loving duties of a wife and mother.
Diligently, Marlene always put people and loved ones ahead of herself. She was an amazing farmer’s wife, aware of and helping with the dairy, calves, and bookkeeping systems, as well as cooking, cleaning and taking excellent care of the family.
We met her in the 80s and as a dedicated Christian woman, she was always so grateful to share her devout love of God. We attended church together and shared Bible studies with her, with many stimulating conversations about her deep faith and belief, often teasing her to give the short version. Marlene would chuckle and continue to share her stories about her bible study and her family responsibilities with us.
Marlene remained faithful and gracious even as she grew weaker in health, always a credit to her Christian calling, longing to be alive at Christ’s return. However, Marlene always fully acknowledged God’s wisdom and sovereignty when deciding the length of her days.
Marlene loved and diligently served her family. She genuinely supported them and worked hard for their success, following the example of Proverbs 31. She was truly an exemplary woman who honoured and revered her Creator God. Now asleep in Christ, awaiting her resurrection, ready to hear her Master say, “Well done, good and faithful servant”.
From Norm and Norma Womersley
To Paul and Andrew, I’m sorry to hear of your Mums passing.
Your Mum was considered a saint by my Mum, Therese Ryan, and in fact all our family, for the support she provided Mum during the 1970s through the South West Support Group for The Handicaped, as it was known then. We had 2 brothers with Muscular Dystrophy and Marlene’s support to Mum and the boys was immeasurable.
She would visit us in Warrnambool, and later at our home in Winslow, and we all looked forward to her visits.
Mum was in awe of Marlene, many times she said “I would be lost without Marlene Hay”.
From the rest of the Ryan Family, (as Mum passed away in Feb 2024), we send our sincere condolences on the loss of your Mum, and remember her caring and kindness to many people over many years, and we send our heartfelt gratitude for her selflessness.
Rest In Peace, Marlene.
Marlene, a woman of great conviction and determination. Her unswerving commitment to God and her efforts to live her life in harmony with His wishes were exemplary. We well remember a conversation with her at her husband’s funeral, a husband who was severely handicapped in the latter years of his life. Marlene worked strenuously to provide him a quality life making exceptional personal sacrifices to this end. As she mourned her husband’s death she told us that when she married it was for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, and she honoured this promise right up to the moment of her husband’s death, a stirling example. She was always a battler but always personable and one with a ready smile and a good sense of humour.
January 26, 2025God looked down upon this earth and
saw your tired face.He gently put his arms around you and said,”Come with me to your home up above” Wonderful friend and neighbour over many,many years Deepest Sympathy to Paul,Andrew and Karen Love Beryl
To Paul, Andrew and family our thoughts and prayers are with you all. Deepest Sympathy. Brenda and Patrick
January 22, 2025Dear Paul and Andrew, I read with sadness this notice of your mother’s passing. Whilst you don’t know me, I have many memories of both of your beautiful parents. They were people I held in high esteem. I am one of many people who shared in your family history, and I would like to share with you and Karen those memories. When I was a child of about eight and onwards, your father Ian, was my father’s shearer, along with Billy Carr. I loved being allowed to go to the shearing shed and to be able to talk to your father and make sure he got the best food, during his morning tea break. I admired your father greatly and thought he was the kindest, nicest man I had ever encountered and I hoped, for him, a perfect future and a wife who was just as nice as he was. By the time you were born Paul I was a mothercraft nurse in the Midwifery section at Warrnambool Base hospital. I remember clearly an excited father bounding up the steps two at a time and asking the Charge Sister for Mrs Hay’s room. Oh! how I hoped Mrs Hay was a nice lady, worthy of this dear man. Of course, you would know she was exactly the kind-hearted lovely lady I hoped he would find. Back then first-time Mother’s stayed in hospital for 10 days so I got to know your Mother, and rekindle an admiration for your father. Your mother told me that had you been a girl, Paul, you would have been named Diane after a nice, kind little girl your father remembered, and who was now looking after her and you, as a baby. I loved the story of their first meeting on a bus tour when your father accompanied his mother and Marlene was a single girl travelling alone on the trip. Apparently, there were a lot of zealous older ladies on the tour who were determined to play Cupid, and ensured they were forced to sit together until they realized they wanted to always sit together. I loved that she had been a Policewoman- clear headed, strong, and resourceful – a perfect match for your father. Occasionally Marlene, and I encountered each other in the community and chatted. My admiration for her and the life she helped provide for Ian and her sons never wavered. A life well-lived. Diane Lucas (nee Diane Albert)
January 22, 2025