Geralton Roff Family Christmas News

Hi Everyone,

Can’t believe another year has just about gone! Merry Xmas to you all and we hope you have a nice break and a pleasant new year. We are all well in the west although as you will read the family are scattered to the far winds.

Jan continues her contract accounting work with shipping company Patricks. She enjoys the analysis work and the flexibility the company give her to travel and there was plenty of that during the year. Reading and walking are still her recreation likes and this year has got back into the crafts when time permits. John is still at the local catholic College and enjoying his economics and religious education teaching. He kept his brain stimulated this year doing a Justice of the Peace course and still plays tennis for leisure. Kate lives in Christchurch NZ doing a combo of tutoring at Uni, doing after school care of primary students at a flash private school, research assistant for a PhD guy and writing a lifestyle magazine. New husband Joe continues his environmental engineering work there and they both plan to study in Vienna the first 6 months of next year before returning to NZ in time for the Rugby World Cup when they expect to be inundated with visitors. Zac is in Norway, enjoying his mid twenties lifestyle doing a bit of labouring work and staying with his very kind host parents from his ’04 rotary exchange days. So far he hasn’t ventured into his engineering degree field but is healthy and happy, playing a bit of tennis again and is a great travelling partner. Liz is doing her final year of her Commerce degree at Uni in Perth (tourism and marketing) and hopefully will head to honours in that area for a 4^th year. She plays a bit of Uni sport and shares an off campus house at the moment. Liz had the first 6 months in Copenhagen as an international student and loved the experience.

Highlights this year mostly involved travel

· Last Xmas we walked the Milford Track as a family. It was a terrific time and was 4 days of walking, talking, exploring and getting drenched in between staying in a bit of comfort at night. Rated ‘one of the best things the family has ever done’.

· In July we all ventured to Oxford, outside Detroit , for Kate’s marriage to Joe. Zac flew in from Oslo, Liz came from Denmark and Kate and Joe came from NZ. We were understandably a bit outnumbered in the wedding crowd but it was a fantastic time. We stayed with the in laws who are very friendly and welcoming people and very ‘Roff like’ (I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not). Kate and bridesmaid Liz both looked sensational and Zac did a great job as MC at the reception.

· In July / Aug Jan, John and Zac hired a car and travelled Niagara, Washington DC, the American civil war trails, Boston and into Toronto in Canada. The good things here were bushwalking in the Shenandoah national park along the Appalacian Trail, travelling with Zac , the Jersey Boys show and the pro tennis in Toronto.

· Jan went to France and Italy for Mary MacKillop’s canonisation as part of a pilgrimage group and included tours to Lourdes and Paris. She caught up with our old exchange student Magali as well as numerous visits to religious relics. The Vatican turned it on for the big day and she managed a papal audience ( not as private as it once was) before meeting up with Zac for two weeks touring down the south of Italy, visiting Pompeii, Capri and the Amalfi coast. Jan will tell you that the best part of the trip was time with one of her children but the whole thing sounded great. Apparently they did many coffees, cheeses and vineyards and much scenery gazing was done.

This Xmas there is a big Roff family reunion in Lismore. Kate and Joe are jetting in to have a ‘formal blessing ceremony’ in front of the many relatives who could not make Detroit which will be great. Zac will have Xmas in Norway, and Liz will fly over to Lismore. John is just about to take 40 students to Canberra and he and Jan will be staying put in Geraldton this year. It’s been a big year and the reserves, physical and financial , need replenishing. We do have plans to visit Kate and Joe in Vienna next Easter so we aren’t staying put too long. Adventure before dementia remains our guiding motto!

We hope you all have a great Xmas and a deserved break. We again express our offer that there is a couple of beds over here if you ever get the bug to see this part of the world.

Cheers

The Geraldton Roffs

Lachlan turns 5 tomorrow!

Keen observers of family birthdays will notice that tomorrow is not in fact Lachlan's birthday. Lachlan's dad has to attend the second day of the first test in Brisbane, and then Rupert McCall's 40th birthday bash on his son's actual birthday weekend (next week), so we celebrate in the park tomorrow with all of his little mates. Don't tell Lacho!

Poppa marches again

I had an email a few days ago from an old Moree friend, Denise Norbury, who included the picture you see here of Neil Roff marching with the Moree Diggers Swimming Club, a club he founded when he was transferred there from Lismore. It was Poppa's first appointment as a manager and he was the youngest person ever for that position in what was then the Rural (later State) Bank.
The big bloke holding the flag beside Neil is Denise's father and Neil's great mate, Bill Norbury. The Norburys and the Roffs exchanged letters for many years after we left Moree to go to Newcastle.
How old was Poppa when this picture was taken? My estimate is early 40s, making him around five years younger than Damian is now. Damian was, of course, born in Moree.

COSMO turns 47!

Happy Birthday to Uncle Damian who celebrates his 47th tomorrow, the 19th. It is hard to think that the big "50" is looming closer for the forever young Damio.

A belated Happy Birthday to Luke too. He turned 9 on the 8th of November. Double figures next year, Luke

Thank you for your condolences

Dear All,

Thanks for the excellent report on Rory's funeral, Grant and thanks for the strong representation of Roffs, Seages and Thomas's .

Rory loved the family get-togethers: from the early concerts at Norma and Gordon's to the wonderful 'mega meets' at Dunbogan and Lismore. He was especially happy to know that Niwili was born into such a large family with so many interesting characters (yes you know who your are). He commented to me when Amber, Paris, Cairo, Alaine etc got together, how nice it was that that connection was forged.

Thanks again for all your kindnesses and we look forward to seeing you in Lismore.

Also, I have a powerpoint of images but it is 69 MB so Jane can put it on sendspace and send you a link. Just email Jane on: naylorjane@optusnet.com.au

Lots of Love Shane Forrest.

Rory and Vanessa

Shauna, Rory, Betty, Vanessa, Brad and Shane

Rory and Niwili

Mo update for the sponsors

Rory

The service for Rory John Joseph Forrest was held at 1.30pm on Thursday, November 4, at a chapel in the Rookwood Cemetry in Sydney. Rory was the son of Jack and Betty Forrest. Jack was the young brother of Eileen, Norma and Fran
The chapel was full of family, friends and work colleagues. Representing the Roffs were Glenn, myself, Stuart, Ashley, Daniel, Alaine and Milly. Seages present were Uncle Ken and Aunty Betty, Brendan and Martin. All the Forrests were there including partners and children. The Thomas' were represented by Louise and Mitchel.
The ceremony took the form of a brief introduction by the celebrant who was an old friend of Bradley Forrest, followed by a number of speakers.
The official eulogy was delivered by Shauna and it presented Rory as a very valued member of the family who had a great sense of humour which he sharpened regularly on his brothers and sisters. Shane then assisted Aunty Betty Forrest to the microphone and she read a moving statement that she'd helped prepare. As you all know, Aunty Betty has been struggling against a variety of cancers but has outlived many medical expectations regarding the timing of her death. She was as elegant as she's always been and recognised most of the extended family.
Vanessa then spoke. Rory and Vanessa were twins and always had a close bond. Vanessa told a great story of how she and Rory had agreed to meet in Brisbane to celebrate a particular birthday. Rory arrived first and was promptly arrested at a demonstration against the then Queensland premier. Vanessa arrived later and was arrested as well. They caught up in a police watchhouse and celebrated their birthdays in gaol. Rory had a highly developed social consience and was never afraid to stand up against injustice.
Part of Rory's jouney was a relationship with Pillawok (spelling probably wrong - apologies) which produced a son, Niwili, who was Rory's pride and joy. Niwili made a very emotional speech in which he recounted his best adventues with his father who he clearly loved. A couple of Niwili's school mates from Adelaide made the trip to Sydney as a gesture of support.
Rory's long-time partner, Victor, also spoke. Victor is from Papua New Guinea and told the story of how he and Rory had gone there to visit Victor's clan. Rory was a vegetarian and that was a source of great amusement to people who'd never experienced it before. Rory underwent an initiation ceremony and became part of Victor's family.
Paris and Cairo (both are Rory's nephews) spoke and gave different perspectives on Rory's significant influence in their lives.
Rory's nieces, Sienna and Layla (daughters of brother Brad and his wife, Debbie), contributed a floral tribute and were accompanied by other neices Amber and Nephra. Django played a musical tribute on his celo - "Across the Stars".
Rory spent most of his working life as a set designer and builder in the entertainment industry and his clients included many high-profile names including Jim Hensen (Muppets) as well as working on the sets for the Star Wars franchise. Many of his professional colleagues attended.
The wake was held in the Writer's Club in Roselle and the Roff mob had dinner in Redfern later in the evening. When Daniel said it was going to be in a Vietnamese restaurant, none of us realised it was actually located in Vietnam. The four-day walk was worth it, though, and it was a very pleasant evening.
As John pointed out, Rory is the first of our generation to die. He was 51 and that's clearly too early. As demonstrated by both the ceremony and the wake, he had a rich and interesting life. Perhaps, in the end, this is more important than longevity.
Many of the Forrests will be in Lismore for Christmas and it will give the rest of the family a chance to share this loss. Vale, Rory.

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