In memory of: People we lost in 2015

Updated

Reflect on the lives of some of the people who died in 2015. The stories are drawn from an ABC Open crowdsourcing project where family and friends share tales about loved ones who died, and from ABC News obituaries.

Doug Ralph: Born 1948

"Doug wasn't scared of labels. He gave his religion as Bush Baptist."

When Doug retired from the Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forest committee, he was rightly described by Marie Jones as an "Elder of the environment movement".

Doug was the founding president of the group, formed in the late 1990s by people in the community of Castlemaine interested in working towards highlighting the significance of the Box-Ironbark forests and woodlands.

He knew this country better than anyone else, and was generous in sharing his knowledge of it; hundreds of people have been introduced to its secrets on the guided walks he ran for many years, or via the contributions he made in innumerable forums.

Doug was tireless in his efforts to get better management for our natural heritage, but he was also insatiable in his curiosity about cultural history.

Although he was sceptical about the value of gold mining, and relentlessly critical of its destructive effect on the environment, he had enormous sympathy for the miners and huge interest in the detail of their lives.

One of Doug's most striking qualities was his inclusiveness. He kept his eye on the important issues, and was impatient of efforts to divide this community into 'old' and 'new' residents.

What counted for him was getting things right, not where someone came from.

A fifth generation local, he welcomed anyone who had something to offer the community.

Doug wasn't scared of labels.

He had a terrific sense of irony, but wasn't ashamed to put himself on the line: 'I'm a tree hugger. I'm proud of it.' He gave as his religion, Bush Baptist.

There was no one like him.

— by Bernard Slattery, on behalf of the Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forest

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Elsie Lynette Martin: Born 2011

"Boats, planes, trains, cars. If it had an engine and it went fast, Elsie was on board."

Boats, planes, trains, cars… If it had an engine and it went fast, Elsie was on board.

Every mode of transport fascinated her and every destination was an adventure.

"I love planes, Mummy," she once mused. "Where are we going next?"

In Darwin, we took a tour bus that converted to a boat as it descended a ramp into the harbour.

"Watch out the water! Watch out the water!" Elsie screamed and when she realised we were not only floating, we were moving forward her big eyes grew even rounder in disbelief and delight.

She waved to every person on Mitchell Street from the back of the bus that day, thrilled that so many people returned the gesture.

On a train trip from Adelaide, we bought Elsie a disposable camera and after figuring out where the button was she said: "I like this world; I'm going to take a photo of it."

By the time Elsie was three and a half years old she'd travelled to every state and territory in Australia, except WA.

Fond of singing John Williamson songs on family car trips, Elsie could often be heard belting out: "you've gotta go that way, there's nearly half Australia over there in WA."

Sadly, we never managed to get there.

Elsie passed away in July after an 11-month battle with childhood cancer.

— by Jill Martin

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Lorna Wilson: Born 1928

"She held on to say her last goodbye. She was always stubborn. And strong."

We had always lived in different towns, and while I was a kid I only visited my great grandmother during family holidays.

Then adulthood hit and those gaps lengthened as uni, job and life took over.

At the beginning of the year on the spur of the moment I took a weekend off and drove myself, my boyfriend and my dog back down to see her.

More recently, she took a turn for the worse and was placed in palliative care.

I went with my grandma, mum, brother and uncle to go see her. Just be with her. It was a weird time. An odd group of people banding together from all across WA. Family.

We talked, and told her about what was going on in our lives, in the world, with the weather, with the patients next door. She loved gossip.

Photos were in every corner of her room — of her parents, husband, children, grandchildren and her great grandchildren.

And slowly stories came out...

She used to make amazing roast dinners for the family, but everyone was only allowed two potatoes to make sure it all went around.

She had helped save her neighbour because of her stubborn habit to stay up late and watch TV.

He had fallen over in the garden and, as she looked out the window, she saw him struggling.

She would take her girls shopping once a year for a special dress, and they would wear it to every dance, party and wedding during that year.

But then we had to say goodbye. Go back home.

She seemed happy though, content at least.

Her other daughter managed to fly in early the next morning. Arrived and talked with her, hugged her and kissed her. Just loved her, and it was then she passed away.

She held on to say her last goodbye.

She was always stubborn. And strong.

I will miss her. We will miss her.

— by Saffy

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Brenda Lee Kealy: Born 1959

"She would pull you in, spin you around and dance her heart out to the music she loved."

The last time I remember having a good dance with mum was almost a year ago, at her brother's wedding.

Whenever one of her favourite songs played, she would not only dance whole-heartedly, but rope others in to dance with her (whether they wanted to or not!).

Some of her favourite songs to dance to included, Time Warp, Ballroom Blitz, White Wedding, anything by Queen or Skyhooks, Whip It or My Sharona, just to name a few.

Mum had great taste!

She would pull you in, spin you around and dance her heart out to the music she loved.

I always remember mum saying that music and dancing is what makes a great party.

I can still picture her dancing, with a huge smile on her face, loving life!

I'll always remember her this way.

— by Georgia Kealy

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Jett Jeremiah Monika: Born 2015

"A spirited little fighter born three months prematurely inspired courage and the love of many."

Jett was born in the black of night, in the early hours of Easter Sunday, 2015.

The sun then rose to a bright blue sky day and with it, so much hope that we could help him get to safe passage.

So the challenging roller coaster ride began — the wins and the setbacks, the heartache, the tears and the prayers, but with time we watched Jett grow and start showing us all the signs that he was OK.

This photo was taken in a quiet and deeply connected moment with his mum, during a one-on-one conversation which included declarations of love, promises of forever, and gratitude for all that we had.

Jett had been with us five months, his big brown eyes sparkled with curiosity for everything around him.

His feisty character was stronger than ever and his cheeky smile so delightful that he captivated everyone who met him.

We were blessed to have Jett for a further six weeks, before his battle became too difficult and we had to say our devastating goodbyes.

We love to remember Jett as he is in this photo. He brought us so much joy in his short time with us, he taught us so many lessons about what is truly important in this life.

We will love you forever Jett, you are our inspiration and we are so fiercely proud of You XXX.

Mum, Dad, and big Sister Ruby

— by Lauren O'Sullivan

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Richie Benaud: Born 1930

"If cricket had ever anointed a pope, it would be Richie Benaud."

So said Jim Maxwell of cricket icon Richie Benaud, the voice of summer, the king of cricket commentators, who died on April 10.

Benaud first donned the Baggy Green in January 1952 against the West Indies and distinguished himself as a first-rate leg-spinning all-rounder.

Over the next 12 years, he played 63 Tests for Australia and was the first player to score 2,000 Test runs and take 200 wickets. He never lost a series as Australian captain.

Born in Penrith, the son of leg-spinner, cricket literally was in Benaud's blood.

His father took the 10-year-old Richie to his first cricket game at the SCG in 1940 - a Sheffield Shield match featuring Don Bradman.

It was his dad who taught the future Australian cricket captain how to bowl googlies, leg-breaks and top-spinners and by age 16, the younger Benaud was showing great promise as an all-rounder.

He really came into his own as captain of the Australian cricket team, a position he took against England in 1958.

Not only did his attacking flair get the team results, it also captured the imagination of fans jaded with Test cricket and set a precedent for modern cricket.

But it was Benaud's voice, filtering into lounge rooms and across sun-drenched beaches and parks from TV sets and transistor radios, which really captured the nation.

His calm, mellow and professional commentary, together with his fashion sense, spawned countless comedy routines and a fan club, The Richies.

Benaud initially began his media career with pen and notepad in 1956 at the Sydney Sun newspaper after convincing the editor to give him a job.

It was here that he developed an economy of words which became a feature of his career.

Once launched as a journalist, it did not take Benaud long to move into sports writing and then broadcast journalism, after a training stint with the BBC following the 1956 Ashes tour.

In 1967, Benaud married Daphne Surfleet, a writer of note and the first woman in Lord's press gallery.

The couple moved back to Australia and began a sports consultancy business.

He was presented with an OBE in 1961 for services to cricket and was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985.

Ken Clifford: Born 1942

"He loved to watch his young charges move up the sporting ladder."

"Watch the joy on their faces," Ken Clifford told me before the presentation. "That's what this job is all about."

As a former chairman of Hunter Academy of Sport, I was fortunate enough to visit a number of country schools with Ken over his 26 years as CEO.

One trip that sticks in my mind was a visit to the tiny Mitchells Island primary school on the Manning River to give out awards to a relay team of two boys and two girls who won a State title.

The reaction from the kids and their sense of achievement was the motivation for Ken.

He loved to watch his young charges move up the sporting ladder and celebrated with them when they reached Regional, State and National representative honours.

But more importantly, he loved to watch them become better citizens.

Two who come to mind who were very close to Ken — sailor Nathan Outteridge and discus thrower Ben Harradine, are still at the top of the sporting tree.

Nathan won Olympic gold in London sailing the 49ers with Iain Jensen and is also a World Champion in that class. But without Ken's help, he might never have made it.

Ken learnt about sport the hard way — on the field or on the court.

He played cricket, basketball, hockey, rugby, soccer, tennis, Australian Rules and squash.

Cricket and basketball were his two greatest loves. He was an excellent fast bowler and at school, represented at State level and later, at District level.

He later turned to basketball refereeing and quickly became one of the best in Australia. He was rated the number one basketball referee in NSW from 1976 to 1986.

But it was as an administrator that he made his mark in the Hunter Region, putting back into sport much more than he took out.

— by Vic Levi

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Judy Cassab: Born 1920

"It was an all consuming passion she had. She was completely obsessed with being an artist."

Prolific portrait painter, Judy Cassab was the first woman to win the prestigious Archibald Prize twice, in 1960 and again in 1967.

Famous Australians such as Joan Sutherland, Margaret Whitlam, John Olsen and Margaret Fink sat for her, and her work is exhibited in galleries throughout the country.

But life was not always so rosy for Judit Kaszab, the daughter of Hungarian Jewish parents who grew up in Central Europe as World War II took hold.

Cassab first became aware of her talent for art after her mother gave her a box of crayons for her 12th birthday and she promptly drew a portrait of her grandmother, which still exists today.

In 1938 Cassab captured the heart of a much older man, Jancsi Kampfner and after being assured by him she could continue with her art, they married.

However, as German troops arrived, the pair was separated, and Cassab assumed the identity of her German maid to avoid capture by Nazis.

After the war, she and her husband learned their immediate families had died in concentration camps.

In 1951, with two young sons, the couple moved to Australia, initially settling in a Bondi boarding house with other Hungarian immigrants.

Throughout these times, Cassab continued to pain with encouragement from her husband, and she befriended artists.

With her talent, beauty and avant-garde European style, Cassab soon became a darling of the Sydney art scene and quickly developed a reputation for her portraiture.

"You have to keep in mind that in the early days, women were looked down on in the art world, they weren't generally accepted," her son Peter Kampfner said.

He said his mother was consumed with art and with being an artist.

According to Art Gallery of NSW curator Anne Ryan, Cassab's greatest legacy was in the way she captured the important figures of the day.

Cassab is less well-known for her landscape studies, water colours and drawings, and paintings of the Australian bush.

After her first visit to central Australia in 1959, she would refer to it as her "spiritual home".

She was awarded many accolades and art prizes and in 1980, became only the second female Art Gallery of NSW trustee.

Judy Cassab died on November 3 and is survived by her sons Peter and John and their families.

Nick Greening: Born 1967

"Little brother, what happened? Why did you go so early?"

Sadly, Nick collapsed in Foley Park on Glebe Point Road one Monday morning in May earlier this year, having smoked some synthetic marijuana he had bought from the tobacco shop over the road.

He was 47, hadn't been looking after himself, but he still had a full time job.

Strangely, a German paramedic was close by and performed enough CPR that Nick was revived and taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

He lasted another five days before we were convinced to turn off life support.

He died on May 16.

We are taking him to Auckland in a couple of weeks to bury him with our mother.

RIP Nick xxx

— by Lynda

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Mark William Tomkinson: Born 1967

"I buried you on our wedding anniversary... Your life was lived large, extinguished in a moment."

The moment you boarded the small alpine train headed for the higher slopes, I could sense your building anticipation.

I knew the glistening snow was your very favourite thing on earth, and not only were we in the middle of a blizzard, but today we were venturing even higher, into the Alps of Switzerland.

No skiing today, the visibility is too low, so today we are adventurers! We will travel to Grindelwald and explore this quaint village, find cosy taverns to eat, drink and laugh in, and will trek across, up and down for that elusive "best shot" across the region.

Our whole lives together had been lived as one adventure after another. It's how you were when we first met, and how I came to be.

You must have experienced pain that day; those undiagnosed "episodes", which ultimately took you, had visited the night previous.

But there was no sign from you. Just that insatiable desire to soak up life, and a smile that made my soul happy.

As our train wound slowly up the side of the majestic Jungfrau, I remember you were stunned by the frozen landscape that continued around every bend.

Yes, you'd seen snow many times, but not like this, this silent, black and white panorama took your breath away. I cherish the photos you took whilst we made our way up that rickety climb.

I can still picture the little café we found in Grindelwald.

Instead of cosying up inside near the fire, you wanted to sit outside, nearest the snow, whilst we laughed and drank our Glühwein.

You were simply... happy.

And so I took this photo, the last time you would see snow....

Your face says it all. How you loved that moment, how you loved life... and how you loved me.

— by Deborah Hunter

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Lottie Wright: Born 1923

"Lottie was a live-wire, adored by her family. She had a love of fun, pinkness and champagne."

Lottie was an extraordinary lady.

I didn't meet her until she was in her early 80s, and she was a live-wire then, so I can only imagine what she was like when she was younger.

She remained a bundle of energy the entire time I knew her.

She was the much-loved matriarch of close family friends, and we felt like part of her family as well.

Lottie always made me feel special; one of those marvellous people who paid complete attention to whomever she was speaking with, making them feel the centre of her world for that moment.

I never saw Lottie without a smile on her face, and pink in her hair.

She had a penchant for pink clothing too, and was always beautifully dressed and brightly coiffed.

I attended her 90th birthday, with much champagne and festivity. It was a celebration of the nine decades of an exceptional daughter, wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother and great grandmother.

This photo represents the way I remember her, champagne at hand, pink in her hair, and a smile on her face.

Even in her 90s, Lottie still lived at home, and was happy and healthy until near the end — and even then, I bet she passed with a smile on her face.

Her coffin was fluorescent pink.

After the funeral service, the great-grandchildren were presented with white envelopes containing butterflies that they released one by one.

Most of the butterflies flew away, but one stayed, and the smaller children passed it from one to the other, until finally one gently placed it onto the leaf of a tree.

It seemed to me that the butterfly was Lottie's spirit saying goodbye to her little ones, and in return, they each said goodbye and released her to be free from this life.

— by Robin Lonsdale

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Johnny Japangardi Miller

"It was a rough time. Kardiya (white people) in the old days were really hard."

Walpiri man Johnny "Hooker Creek" Japangardi Miller was the senior traditional owner for Mt Theo, 450 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs.

He dedicated much of the latter part of his life to caring for and rehabilitating young Indigenous petrol-sniffers in his country.

Japangardi's nickname, Hooker Creek, came about as a result of the role he played in establishing the settlement of the same name, now known as Lajamanu community.

He was born near Yuendumu, in the Northern Territory and his early life was a traditional nomadic Walpiri life, travelling between water holes with parents he was in awe of for their deep affinity with the land.

About 1928, at the time of the Coniston Massacre, Japangardi saw his first white man, or Kardiya, while hiding in the hills of Mt Theo.

The police were rounding up the Walpiri people and shooting them, so his family was singing up country to protect them from bullets.

Japangardi's stories revolved around his work as a stockman on cattle stations in Central Australia, including at Wave Hill and Adelaide River in the Top End.

He was known as a hard worker but also, a "lover boy", two characteristics which saw him sent away in "a big red government truck" to Hooker Creek in 1953.

There, he worked building stockyards and an airstrip, doing stockwork and working from dawn to dusk in the blazing sun, in fear of his employers who would "give us hiding with whip or green sticks".

During World War II, he drove army trucks.

About 20 years ago, Japangardi decided to return to return to country at Mount Theo where his four brothers and their families lived.

At the time, petrol sniffing was rife among communities in Central Australia and Japangardi's sister-in-law Peggy Brown suggested the family should care for the petrol sniffers within their community.

From little things, big things grow and the Mt Theo program was born.

Over the years, Japangardi became the primary care taker for the young petrol sniffers who regarded him with respect, while listening to his stories of the dreamtime and his life as a stockman.

Yuendumu is now free of petrol sniffing.

Japangardi was awarded the Order of Australia medal in 2007.

Up until his death, aged about 80 and almost blind, he was still taking young people on bush trips, encouraging them to learn more about their country and culture.

Christine Greiner: Born 1961

"We will never forget our last memory of Chris in her white bikini."

In March 2014 I had a weekend at the beach with some old school friends.

Christine is on the right of the photo and I am on the left.

On the way to the beach, I mentioned that I had never been skinny dipping so the girls said they had to rectify this over the weekend.

So late one night, after a few drinks, we all donned towels or sarongs and snuck down to the beach, giggling like silly school girls.

It was a moonlit night when we slipped off our gear and tip-toed in the waves. We noticed that our friend Christine, who was very tanned, looked like she was wearing a white bikini.

Just three months after this fun weekend all together, our dear friend Christine was diagnosed with a brain tumour and lost her battle at the beginning of 2015.

We will never forget our last memory of Chris in her white bikini.

— by Robyn

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Terry Pratchett: Born 1948

"I would like to die peacefully with Thomas Tallis on my iPod before the disease takes me over."

It was no secret British author of the Discword series, Terry Pratchett, loved the music of 16th century composer Thomas Tallis.

He also campaigned passionately for the legalisation of assisted death, after being diagnosed in 2007 with posterior cortical atrophy (PCA), a progressive degenerative condition.

Pratchett's fantasy novels sold in their tens of millions worldwide, generating a huge fan base of readers who expressed their dismay at his death via social media.

"People are petitioning Death to bring back Terry Pratchett. I think he would have loved this one," tweeted Felicity Morse.

"'It's not worth doing something unless someone, somewhere, would much rather you weren't doing it.' RIP the brilliant Terry Pratchett," Ricky Gervais tweeted.

Pratchett, known for his trademark broad-brimmed black hat "fired the imagination of millions," British prime minister David Cameron said.

The 41-book Discworld series was based on a circular world set on the backs of four elephants standing on the shell of a giant turtle, populated by a vast and colourful cast of characters.

Pratchett used the series to parody aspects of modern life by drawing often incongruous connections between his imaginary world and things ordinary people living in 20th-century Britain would recognise.

He was an only child, born in Buckinghamshire, UK who, encouraged by his father, engaged in the usual activities boys liked, but he attributed his love of books to his grandmother.

By his own admission, he was a "nondescript" student, preferring woodwork to Latin.

His first story was published in the school magazine when he was 13 and two years later, he sold the story and used the proceed to buy his first typewriter.

He developed an interest in astronomy early but, lacking an aptitude for maths, turned to science fiction for his "fix".

After leaving school, he worked as a journalist and published his first book, The Carpet People, in 1971.

His first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983.

Pratchett was also a fan of carnivorous plants and once built and observatory in his garden.

He was diagnosed with the rare form of Alzheimer's disease, PCA, in 2007 and became a champion for a person's right to die on their terms.

Pratchett was awarded an OBE in 1998 for his services to literature and in 2009, was knighted.

In the end, he died peacefully at home on March 12 , his cat on his bed and possibly with Thomas Tallis on his iPod.

He is survived by his wife of almost 45 years Lyn Purves and his daughter.

Sam de Brito: Born 1969

"In a crowded field where most prove one-trick ponies, [he] stood out as a thoroughbred."

He was so admired and respected for his writing and the way he tackled issues of modern life that a huge outpouring of grief overcame social media on the news of Sam de Brito's unexpected death on October 12.

The writer and Fairfax columnist, single dad and author managed to tap into the nation's psyche.

He was the first to write about men's issues, inciting controversy and outrage in what the Sydney Morning Herald obituary described as "a mixture of bravado, bulldust, embedded journalism and astute observations".

"In a crowded field where most prove one-trick ponies, Sam de Brito stood out as a thoroughbred," the Herald wrote.

His regular column, All Men Are Liars, was published in the Sun Herald and The Sunday Age on weekends.

De Brito wrote on all manner of issues and over the years, began to share themes of mental health, solo parenting and animal welfare.

Born in Sydney into a family of journalists, he spent his early years immersed in a blended family of creative people, surrounded by books and ideas.

His first job out of school was as a copy kid with News Limited, followed by a cadetship. From there he conquered New York, working on a showbiz publication.

De Brito's bravado and fearless escapades to get the story attracted attention back home, but he figured any publicity was good publicity.

He also wrote five books, including No Tattoos Before You're Thirty and The Lost Boys, and turned his hand to television, script writing for Stingers and Water Rats.

In the many tributes to the larrikin writer, words like "honest", "decent", "fiercely intelligent" and "loved" regularly came up.

Many of de Brito's friends and colleagues would say his greatest accomplishment and pride was his young daughter Anoushka, with whom he shared custody with former partner, Janneke Thurlow.

Isobel Varley: Born 1937

"It was like a drug, tattooing, for her; she went right down to her feet."

The retired secretary and mother of one, Isobel Varley, got her first tattoo — a small bird on her shoulder — after attending a tattoo convention.

By her own admission, she soon became addicted and followed up with an orchid on her thigh.

Varley had battled Alzheimer's disease and at the time of her death on May 21, she had more than 200 tattoos and had spent more than 500 hours of her life in the tattoo parlour.

Tattoos covered 93 per cent of her body and her favourite was a family of tigers on her stomach.

She also had more than 50 piercings.

Varley was named by Guiness World Records as the "Most Tattooed Senior Citizen (female)".

Her husband Malcolm, who survives her, told the UK's Hertfordshire Mercury that his wife had been described as "a legend of tattooing" and she would be remembered for that, and "because of her laugh".

"In fact, one guy approached and said, 'Can I use your laugh as a ring tone?'" Malcolm said.

Varley never set out to break a world record but found fame touring the world, displaying her body.

She also appeared in magazines and advertisements.

"She never planned it, it just happened. She never had it in her mind," Malcolm said.

"It was a like a drug, tattooing, for her, she went right down to her feet. She was always able to carry it off."

Her last tattoo was three years ago, after her husband noticed her pain threshold had dropped.

"I was so impressed by the sheer beauty of the tattoos," she told the BBC in 2008.

"If you're going to have one done, you've got to think about it carefully because it's going to last a very long time, so you've got to be sure it's what you want," she warned at the time.

Rocque Fonseca: Born 1936

"Dad loves all animals but most of all, he likes cats. 'They don't backchat when you converse with them', he once quipped."

This is my Dad, Rocque Fonseca. To others, his name is Roc. To us, he's our Rock, a rock of strength.

Dad loves all animals but most of all, he likes cats. "They don't backchat when you converse with them," he once quipped.

Our 15-year-old cat Jessie passed away within a fortnight of Dad being admitted to hospital. It was the longest they'd been apart. His love helping keep her alive.

On the day Dad was taken off life support, a special visitor was allowed into the Intensive Care Unit — our beloved family cat Billu.

It was the last time we saw Dad smile.

Soon after, Dad was moved into palliative care. It was there the bond between Dad and me became almost palpable. Some nurses even commented I was 'Daddy's girl'.

Sounds lame, but they were right. Dad is my best friend. I'm always Dad's girl and he's always my hero.

When I was little, I'd climb up and dance on his feet to old rock 'n' roll music.

Even when I moved to the country for work, distance was no barrier to our daily daggy dad-daughter chats.

We'd chinwag on the phone every night about anything and everything. Dad was never too busy to talk, listen, offer advice or simply engage in unhinged antics.

One night, a nurse quietly approached to say Dad was hanging on for me. Eventually, upon seeing how much he was suffering, I told Dad it was okay to let go.

Mum and I didn't leave his side all night. The next morning, Mum left to make a cup of tea. It was then, with my hand on his head, as we listened to The Beatles, Dad passed away peacefully.

After days of rain, there was not a cloud in the sky. It was Sunday August 30, the same date as the anniversary of the death of Dad's brother Patrick.

It was at the Royal Melbourne Hospital — the same place where Dad met Mum in 1980.

They complemented each other, both being strong characters and both rather fond of felines.

Soon after, they married and had two children. And, along with umpteen cats, they lived happily ever after.

— by Allyson Fonseca

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Ernest Hugh Grimshaw: Born 1930

"Ernest fondly recalled watching the battered warplanes flying over."

My dad Ernest was 11 years old when he went to boarding school at Thornburgh in Charters Towers, North Queensland in 1942.

He fondly recalls watching the battered warplanes flying low over the classrooms and school grounds.

The boys would keep tally of the numbers of enemy planes, US planes and Australian planes coming and going. Often the US planes would limp in with engines missing, tails shot off, and riddled with bullet holes.

Ernest was sitting in class daydreaming about being home and with the cattle and horses when he heard a plane coming in.

It sounded extremely low as its engines spluttered and coughed loudly just outside the classroom. He jumped up and raced to the window.

"Wow, that one's not going to make it!" he shouted, disrupting the whole class.

They could hear the stalling motor, smell the smoke and see the flames pouring from the aircraft.

The boys held their breath as they watched the badly shot up plane lose altitude. They could see the gunner was dead and slumped over the side.

"Is it one of ours, or is it a Jap plane?" he yelled out.

Whack! Pain shot across his backside as Ernest received six of the best cuts for causing mayhem in the normally controlled classroom. His form teacher did not approve of unruly behaviour.

I ask myself if I would have done the same thing as Ernest? The answer is, of course!

When books and lessons seemed so dull, the aircraft added an element of excitement.

Dad and I shared stories of boarding school with each other, although mine were never as exciting as his.

My father loved telling stories and I was always going to write them down for him; he had so many I could write a book.

Even though he is gone, the stories live on.

— by Maggie O

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Joan Kirner: Born 1938

"She was our first female Premier. Because of her work, she won't be the last."

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews was right with his comment — Joan Kirner, who died on June 1, was a trailblazer for women in Australian politics.

She began her working life as a school teacher and education activist, but in 1982, won a Labor seat in Victoria's Parliament.

Later, as the Member for Williamstown, Kirner introduced education reforms such as the Victorian Certificate of Education, designed to reduce what she saw as class-based inequalities.

She became Victoria's first female premier in 1990 after John Cain stepped down from the post.

An only child and often portrayed as a working class girl, Joan Hood was born Moonee Ponds, her dad a fitter and turner, her mother a homemaker and teacher.

Her father lost his job during the Depression and was forced to sell tea to save his family losing their home.

It was from her dad that Kirner developed her sense of social justice, a trait former premier Steve Bracks admired.

"That was really the value that Joan Kirner brought to everything she did," Mr Bracks said.

"She never flinched. She was resolute in making sure she'd do the best she could as premier of the state."

After studying at Melbourne University, Kirner began teaching and married fellow teacher Ron Kirner in 1960.

It was after she took her son to kindergarten and learned there was only one teacher for 50 students that Kirner found her political voice.

Appalled at the student-to-teacher ratio, she staged a loud protest outside the Department of Education and organised a petition, not stepping back until the school was granted more resources.

From there, she became actively involved in the school's mothers' group, going on to become a representative of the Australian Schools Commission.

The rest is history.

Despite being lampooned for her dress sense and fondness for polka dots, Kirner was an enthusiastic and occasionally formidable politician.

However, her time as Victorian leader was short-lived and she was swept out of power after just two years.

She left with her dignity intact and will be remembered as a tireless advocate for women, the community and education.

Joan Kirner is survived by her husband and three children, Michael, David and Kate.

Hannah Davies: Born 1935

"Singing was her passion."

I met Hannah while she was visiting from England.

Knowing that her mother and I shared a passion for singing, her daughter Hilary was determined that we meet.

We got on famously, resulting in an invitation by Hannah to join a group of singers whom she was taking to Giarole, in Lombardy, Italy, for a week-long choral workshop.

It was a dream I'd held for years — to sing renaissance music in the surroundings for which it was written. It was Hannah who made this dream come true.

How can I describe her? Just over 80, her energy was abundant, her interest in others, and the world in general, copious.

She had an extraordinary knack of making you feel as if you were the one person she wanted to spend time with at that particular moment.

She moved, seemingly effortlessly, around the group of dedicated amateur musicians gathered in the courtyard of the Castello Sannazzaro, a castle built in the 12th century, rich in history.

Hannah welcomed everyone, those who had attended a previous similar choral workshop and those like me, slightly apprehensive first-timers.

Our nervousness evaporated immediately as she introduced us first to our host, Count Giuseppe and then to our English maestro, David.

The week was sublime as we were stretched to produce our very best in singing and musicianship, leading to a concert for the people of the village only five days later.

I don't think Hannah ever stopped smiling, revelling in the joy that this experience was giving us all.

As a gift of appreciation, Geoff, a fellow-chorister, compiled a pictorial record of this remarkable event.

As we said our good-byes, there were more than a few tears, but little did we know that less than a month later, this vivacious, warm-hearted special woman would be dead.

She would not live to see the photo-book.

Instead, it served as a memorial to her and was presented at her funeral to her husband and family.

For the rest of us, we glow in the memory, grieve at the gap left by her, but give thanks for the privilege of having known her, however fleetingly.

— by Jill Nash

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Con Maounis: Born 1939

"Con was a family man born on the island of Paros in Greece."

My dad was the most amazing man you would ever meet.

He came here as an immigrant from Greece when he was 22 years old. He met the love of his life, Stella, whom he married. They had two kids, Eric and Mary.

Dad worked hard for 45 years in different roles but his main passion was fishing.

My dad Con always put his family first, but he worried he didn't have enough to provide for them.

He loved his friends as they became his family here — his two brothers were in Canada and his sister in Greece.

My dad, who everyone loved and no one would ever say a bad word about, died on August 26.

He was the most amazing father and friend who took a piece of us the day he died.

My dad, my angel, my hero.

May you rest in peace and may you be smiling in heaven.

I love you dad and miss you more than you will ever know.

— by Mary Maounis

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Sandra Sessions (Van de Sande): Born 1962

"Sandra would always say 'just go with the flow'. She loved music, her garden and family holidays to the beach."

Earlier this year my beautiful mum passed away.

She was 52, had lung cancer and had never smoked a cigarette in her life.

Beyond that, she was a devoted mum to four, a grandmother, a sister and a daughter.

She was cherished by so many for her courage and her ability to smile in the face of adversity — she would always say: 'just go with the flow'.

She loved music, her garden and family holidays to the beach.

This photo is a candid family photo of my mum.

It was silly at the time, though a small moment which now means so much.

She was a beautiful person who made me realise that life is short, and that it is the small moments in life that truly mean the most.

— by K. Sessions

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Colleen McCullough: Born 1937

"When we press the thorn to our chest we know, we understand, and still we do it."

It was for her second novel, The Thorn Birds, a love story set on a remote sheep station in Central Australia, that writer Colleen McCullough is best known.

The novel sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, was translated into 20 languages and became a TV miniseries.

In a career spanning 40 years, McCullough went on to write prolifically in several genres, including biography and crime.

She refused to consider a sequel to The Thorn Birds and instead, spent 13 years researching a seven-book historical series, Masters of Rome.

But writing was just one of McCullough's talents. Before books there was science.

McCullough studied medicine at the University of Sydney until an allergy to soap put an end to a career as a doctor.

Instead, she turned to neuroscience, working as far afield as Yale Medical School.

She came to writing after spending money for an overcoat on a Blue Bird portable typewriter, and while at Yale began her first novel, Tim.

Her childhood was an unhappy one, with her parents regularly screaming at each other.

Indeed, McCullough called her father "a right bastard, a rogue and a philanderer" and at his death, her mother was (wrongly) accused of poisoning him.

Despite this, or perhaps because of it, she developed a big personality and forthright manner and became famous for her laugh, described as being "like a drain".

She found love on Norfolk Island and married Ric Robinson, a Bounty-mutiny descendant, in 1984 and continued to write from the island.

It was here that she died on January 29, after experiencing a multitude of medical ailments, including arthritis and diabetes.

Kate Alexandra Turner: Born 1988

"Kate endured pain every day of her life. Not that you would ever know. She always put on a brave front."

My beautiful cousin Kate lost her battle with Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) on Sunday July 19. She was just 26 years old.

Kate endured this disease with pain every day of her life. Not that you would ever know. She never once complained and always put on a brave front.

She had an extreme kindness and gentleness that made me proud to know her.

Kate's strength and determination is something we can all aspire to. Kate's family and friends are all extremely proud and blessed to have had her in our lives.

We were in awe of her.

Linda, Kate's mum, devoted her life to Kate. Linda supported Kate to enjoy a life of achievement from whatever she put her mind to. They both experience life to the fullest, as it should be.

Although we are all sad to have lost Kate to EB we will remember the good, the bad, the ugly, and the absolutely fabulous!

Kate will always be in our hearts and souls. Kate's family and friends will always rally together to care and support each other in our sadness because that's what we do.

I will always love you Kate Alexandra Turner and I hold all those precious memories dear to my heart.

You rock girlfriend.

— by Michelle Pickles

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Susan Adelaide Ayres: Born 1947

"You were such a beautiful, strong person and loving mother to me."

I know you won't like me sharing this photo, but it means a lot to me.

It was our last photo taken together and our first in a very long time.

We shared a lot that day the photo was taken. I will always treasure this day and the final week we had together.

You were still your strong, independent self and wanted to shield me from what was happening to your body.

This photo was taken at a hospital in a town called Wauchope, where we shared wonderful memories together when I was young.

You took me to my first game of AFL here and afterwards we would always have lunch at the local RSL club.

You were such a beautiful, strong person and loving mother to me.

Not a day passes where I don't think of you. I love you mum.

Your son, Simon.

— by Simon Potter

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Bart Cummings: Born 1927

"I keep my horses in the weakest of company and myself in the best of company. It's the best recipe for success that I know."

The horse racing world lost the "Cups King" James Bartholomew "Bart" Cummings, on August 30.

An asthmatic, Cummings had been told by his doctor, at age 16, to stay away from horses and chaff.

But as Australian horse racing fans know, he ignored that advice and went on to become a legendary horse trainer.

His horses won the Melbourne Cup 12 times in a career that featured horses trained by him winning almost 7,000 races.

In 1974, he became the first trainer in the British Commonwealth to train winners of more than $1 million of prize money.

"He was a sensational trainer with a fantastic eye for a horse and would always run his hand over the horse, almost like he was talking to them through his hands," SA Jockey Club chief Brenton Willis said.

Cummings, a shy man with a very dry sense of humour, was born in Glenelg, South Australia.

Aged 11, he had a near-death experience in which he almost drowned after jumping from the Glenelg pier and being swept out to sea.

After leaving school, Cummings briefly worked in a menswear shop and picked grapes before becoming a strapper for his father.

He got his trainer's licence in 1953 and the next year married Valmae Baker, whom he had met at a barn dance.

After opening his own stables in 1968, Cummings went training winners and taking chances, investing huge sums in race horses.

Some of those chances paid off and some did not, but he followed a philosophy of looking ahead and not dwelling on the past.

Cummings' success could be attributed to the fact always put horses first.

Among his many accolades, he was named a Living Treasure by the National Trust and made it onto an Australia Post stamp.

Nicholas Duncan MacBean: Born 1985

"Nic didn't care too much for money and the symbols of status — but he did care about people."

This photograph, posted by Nic on Instagram in mid-2014, epitomises him.

It was taken at an Indigenous School near Darwin, following a Save The Children fundraising trek through Kakadu National Park.

The caption read: "Spent the morning having slime thrown at me by brilliant kids at Bagot community outside Darwin. They were at the end-of-semester party celebrating good school attendances".

Nic loved bushwalking and he loved and cared about people. He loved and was loved by his family, his friends and his workmates.

Nic was a journalist with the ABC. He was talented — in 2009 he won the Walkley Australian Young Journalist of the Year Award in the Online Category for his coverage of the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria.

His sensitive and powerful coverage was about the effect of the bushfires on people.

He had a talent too, for photography, which developed further as he moved into a role as a photo editor.

But the same year Nic won his Young Walkley, depression started to affect his life and worsened over the next several years.

But here's the thing — Nic was not only brave in trying to deal with his own demons, he also shared his story, reached out quietly to others and made a difference in their lives.

Nic didn't care too much for money and the symbols of status — but he did care about people — it's perhaps the key thing that made him good at his work, and that made him such a good bloke.

Nic loved travel — the places and the people.

He spent the year after finishing school in England, working at a school in Surrey, and during breaks travelled through Europe and to North Africa.

He returned to England later, as part of his university studies, and travelled back home to Brisbane via South America. He travelled with friends to Turkey and Bulgaria.

Nic loved camping. He loved nature, he loved bushwalking with like-minded people and he loved the peace. Some of his best photographs were taken in the bush.

Nic loved his sport too. He played cricket throughout his school years and Aussie Rules with Sherwood and the Woodsmen.

He loved going to the 'Gabba and other major grounds interstate to watch the Brisbane Lions and test cricket matches.

He went to Lords and to Wimbledon while he was in England, and he became a fan of Arsenal in the English Premier League and a very loyal follower of Gillingham in League 1 in England.

What we'll remember most about Nic is his smile, his wit, his generosity of spirit, his warmth and his love of family and friends.

We'll miss him, but he has left us so much to remember him by.

If you need advice about coping with your situation, there are lots of places to get help, including your local GP.

You can call Lifeline (24/7) on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue (24/7) on 1300 22 46 36.

— by Sue, Roger and Claire MacBean

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Faith Bandler: Born 1918

"She was just a hero for everyone and particularly for Aboriginal people in this country."

One of Faith Bandler's greatest achievements was her 10-year campaign for Aboriginal rights, which eventually led to a referendum in 1967 changing the Australian Constitution to include Aboriginal people in the census.

The diminutive woman with a gentle smile campaigned tirelessly for human rights and social justice and was listed among the 100 most influential Australians of the 20th century.

She was a founding member of the Woman's Electoral Lobby and championed Aboriginal education and housing and for the rights of South Sea Islanders.

Not content with those achievements, Bandler also wrote six books and during World War II, joined the Women's Land Army.

She was born Ida Lessing Faith Mussing in Tumbulgum, NSW to a mother of Indian-Scottish descent and a father stolen as a child by blackbirders.

Wacvie Mussingkon had been taken from his home in what is now Vanuatu as a boy in 1883. He was sold into slavery in Mackay and spent the next 20 years on sugar plantations.

Bandler first began to campaign for the right of Indigenous people in 1956 and co-founded the Aboriginal Australian Fellowship.

She was also involved in the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders.

In 1976, she refused to accept an MBE in protest at Gough Whitlam's dismissal but accepted an Order of Australia in 1984 for her services to Aboriginal welfare.

The National Trust listed her as a National Living Treasure.

On news of her death on February 13, NSW Opposition spokeswoman Linda Burney said Bandler was an inspiration for all Australians.

"Faith, whom I knew, was just the most gracious, powerful woman who believed in decency and justice for everyone," Ms Burney said.

"She was just a hero for everyone and particularly for Aboriginal people in this country."

She married Jewish refugee Hans Bandler in 1952 and is survived by a daughter, Lilon.

Kevin Schubert: Born 1930

"For Dad to share an adventure with his family was his greatest pleasure in life."

I have great memories of my dad working at TAA at Coolangatta Airport on the Gold Coast.

Dad was a keen fisherman and would love to share his catch with his workmates.

One particular Friday night, he was driving the bus from Surfers to the airport and our family went for a ride with him — 45 years ago this was a treat for my sister and I.

Dad had caught some mud crabs in his pots near Jacobs Well and wanted to give some to the boys at work. He tied their claws, put them on the bus and away we went.

Half way down, they escaped and there were mud crabs trying to grab our feet.

Mum, my sister and I were screaming and climbing over seats as Dad wrangled them into the box.

It's a wonderful memory — the chaos that this created.

Thankfully, the crabs and our family arrived intact at the airport and no-one had any idea what we just went through. The crabs were cooked and eaten and enjoyed.

For Dad to share an adventure with his family was his greatest pleasure in life.

— by Karen Unser

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Daryl Leigh McManus: Born 1959

"Daz, my chemo buddy, I miss you."

Daz was diagnosed with bowel cancer just before my breast cancer diagnosis.

He was my best friend's partner.

We both fought the fight over the past four years.

He was my chemo buddy.

Daz and I rode the roller coaster of cancer together. He always knew when I needed a call, a visit, a hug.

He had the best smile.

I've survived but Daz hasn't.

Daz lost the battle in June this year.

— by Jules

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Dr Ruth Hilary White: Born 1926

"My Auntie Ruth ... what a woman."

When I was little she was this wonderfully exotic person who would fly in from far off lands and bring gifts of things we had never seen. She brought us Halloween decades before it was seen in Australia. We treasured the wonderful "scary" decorations and saved them for years and years having to have our own celebration as no one else knew what it was.

Ruth was actually flying in from New York where she was studying a masters of education followed by a doctorate of education. She studied in New York as a recipient of the National Florence Nightingale Scholarship. This was presented to Ruth after completing her Bachelor of Arts at ANU.

As I grew up in the 70s, Ruth was becoming an expert in curriculum development and evaluation for nursing education. Ruth worked with a team of nurses who ultimately moved nursing training from hospital-based training to a bachelor degree within tertiary institutions. This work culminated in Ruth taking up a position as Head of the School of Health professionals at Sturt College of advanced education in SA.

I remember we had a huge family holiday driving around the Victorian coast to end up in SA to visit Auntie Ruth. I remember a great celebration, she was great at celebrations. Ruth never forgot our birthdays; she always celebrated milestones, achievements and great events.

Ruth's achievements were enormous and her passion for nursing unending. Her compassion was at a level I don't see in many others. This was formally recognised in 1997 with her entry as a member into the order of Australia recognising her as a pioneer and leader in nursing education and health care, and to the community in the care of the disadvantaged and people with AIDS related illnesses.

I know she has left a lasting legacy in many institutions both here and around the world from her wonderful work in the development of nursing education. I know she has touched so many lives and she definitely has left the world a better place.

— by Janet White

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Thomas Paul Kikkert: Born 1969

"Tommy was not a fisherman, not ever. Golf was his sport. He hated fishing."

My younger brother passed away in June 2015 of brain cancer.

I moved to Tamworth from Hobart to look after him as he had no-one there to take care of him.

I couldn't stand the thought of him dying without at least one adult family member with him.

He was a wonderful, funny, generous man who spent the last two months of his life buying gifts for friends and family and saying goodbye to them.

The two months I had with him, even the time spent by his bedside, were an amazing, never-to-be forgotten time, learning about my brother and the amazing man he was.

He was very loved by the Tamworth community, having worked at one of the local pubs as a barman for many years and, latterly, at Big W.

These people welcomed me with open arms and showed me the same love during the time I was there.

He left behind his 10-year-old son who is the bravest young man I've ever known (just like his dad).

This photo of Tom makes everyone laugh. Tommy was not a fisherman, not ever. Golf was his sport. He hated fishing.

He'd go along with his mates and sit in the car for hours reading his latest Stephen King book, very happy doing so.

This was the first time in years that anyone saw him actually fishing rather than reading.

He was incredibly happy with his catch on the day, as witnessed by the look on his face.

We miss him every day and will forever do so. RIP Tommy.

— by Elliemcn

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Bryan (Fred) John Smith: Born 1969

"Put him in the middle of a city and five minutes later, he would be engrossed in conversation with a stranger."

Fred was a stockman, he was big and gruff and drew people to him.

His love of the outdoors, his unsurpassed skill with working dogs, the talent to clear a fence a fraction of a second before an angry cow hit the other side — all with a grin on his face.

There was his ability to talk to anyone. Plop the farm boy in the middle of a city and five minutes later, he would be engrossed in a conversation with a complete stranger.

His sheer enjoyment in his everyday world and his desire to share the experience; countless visitors chauffeured around the paddocks on the back of a ute, treated to displays of working dogs versus errant farm stock to the background sound of a stock whip and an ear-piercing whistle.

When the ute reached the crest of his favourite hill, out would come the plough-disc barbecue and he would cook lunch with amazing views as his backdrop.

As a husband, father and grandfather he was the centre of our world, the dad that would jump on his teenage sons and wrestle around the lounge room.

He was the party uncle, sleepovers and silliness, yet also the adult that would talk to them on an equal footing.

Master of the Sunday brunch, organiser of winery bus trips and proud owner of a killer recipe for crumbed sausages and onion gravy.

A stroke was cruel, cancer crueller still. Through it all was that smile, a wicked sense of humour and a love for his family that got us through.

You'll always be there, hat low, hands deep in pockets, grin in place, standing on the hill, and every time it rains we'll see you heading resolutely out the door to work, because you weren't made of sugar.

— by Jac

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Robert E Locke: Born 1967

"He was a passionate advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues and social justice."

My Uncle Rob was diagnosed with lung cancer in January 2015 but he was a fighter and had begun the fight of his life.

Regardless of the challenges he faced, Uncle Rob was fiercely determined to do things his way.

Throughout his fight, he never lost his smile and infectious laugh. He would light up anyone's day.

Even through the toughest time in his life, he still managed to smile and remain positive.

Uncle Rob was definitely one of a kind.

He loved a party and any excuse to dress up!

He was a passionate advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues and social justice.

Uncle Rob was a son, brother, father, uncle, cousin, nephew and was a beautiful person who touched the lives of so many.

On October 31 he lost his battle and our world was turned upside down. He taught us so many lessons — except how to live without him.

Uncle Rob was taken from us far too soon but we take comfort that he is now pain-free and will live on in our hearts.

— by Cass Tratt

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Raymond Reece Wells : Born 1930

"I am sure if there is a life after death Mum and Dad are together and at peace."

My dad, Raymond Reece Wells, was born in Bournemouth England, where he lived for most of his life.

Dad was a keen amateur boxer in his youth, and he left school at an early age to join the merchant navy.

After he married, he left the navy, and had a number of diverse jobs over the years.

He finally followed his father and settled into the trade of painter and decorator.

Eventually, as the family grew, Dad had to supplement his income by working evenings as a chef at a restaurant in town; he also worked in a bakery one night a week.

He would come home from his day job, have dinner and then take off again for his evening in the kitchen or the bakery.

As the oldest of five children, I had to grow up fast and pull my weight with the chores.

When Mum died suddenly in April 2005 Dad ceased to live, merely biding his time until he was re-united with the love of his life.

He worshipped Mum and found it hard to come to terms with the loss. He succumbed to dementia, and within a couple of years was in a nursing home.

It was hard for me, living on the other side of the world, to hear of his decline. Harder still for my four siblings who watched it every day.

For the last few years, he rarely recognised his own children.

He died this year, and I was glad I was there at the end, even if he never knew it.

I don't know what happens to us when we die, but I am sure if there is a life after death Mum and Dad are together and at peace.

— by Malcolm Wells

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Adele Horin: Born 1951

"Dear readers, my luck has run out. I'm not going to be one of those feisty octogenarians I so admired."

This is how award-winning blogger, writer and journalist Adele Horin told her faithful readers that her lung cancer had returned.

The response to her news crashed her website adelehorin.com.au.

Horin had been the Sydney Morning Herald's social affairs journalist for 18 years until 2013, but continued to deliver a regular column.

The themes in her work were always socially focussed and often reflected the stages in her life, with her later years spent writing earnestly of the trials and joys of ageing.

Born in Perth, Western Australia in 1951, Horin had modest upbringing in suburban Jewish family, studying in public schools and at the University of Western Australia.

She began her journalism career on the West Australian's women's pages but it was diving deep into social affairs and human rights where Horin found her voice.

Her journalism career took her to London, Washington, New York and Afghanistan, where she spent time with the mujahedeen for a story.

Aged just 23, she was banned from returning to Chile after reporting on families living under General Pinochet's oppressive regime.

"Her trailblazing reporting on the potentially explosive social changes taking place right under our noses helped to transform Australian journalism," her Sydney Morning Herald obituary said.

But Horin shunned the praise for her work and her style of reporting despite proving herself fair, accurate and innovative time and time again.

In the early 1980s she wrote a series about sex in Australia for the National Times, which went on to win a Walkley Award.

The series was the first time the word "orgasm" had been published in the newspaper — an act which landed company director John B Fairfax in hot water with the board.

Four years ago, her explosive article in the Herald about abuse of disabled residents in a boarding house led to her winning a Human Rights award.

In a final blog post, six days before her death, Horin modestly wrote of her career: "As women tend to do, I've attributed my moderate successes in life to luck. Yes, hard work and intelligence do play a part, but luck stands out as queen of the trifecta."

Adele Horin died on November 21. She was honoured by her colleagues and peers at this year's Walkley Awards.

Leslie John Burroughs: Born 1951

"Les was not only a police officer but an avid campaigner for people and kids that were less fortunate."

Sergeant Les Burroughs was a one in a million human.

He served the state of NSW and the greater community of the Eastern Suburbs area for nearly 41 years, entirely in uniform.

Les was not only a police officer but an avid campaigner for people and kids that were less fortunate than most people.

He was also a great Sergeant and always treated his troops fair, even if we made mistakes.

Les was a great friend and mentor.

He will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of coming into contact with him, and this was evident at his final celebration of life.

I miss you Les and the war stories that we use to natter about when we caught up.

Thank you for the honour of knowing you, both personally and in our working career.

— by Dave Snelson

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Judith Ann Jenkins: Born 1947

"I met and loved an amazing new part of my mum, and for that I am thankful."

My mum lived a hard life. So many things happened that no person should have to deal with.

Her life should have been warm and easy and full of true genuine love, but it wasn't, and still she raised her children to know love and to want the best from themselves.

Family and love was her desire, and her goal and in the last months of her life she was a great success.

My mum was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and brain metastases with a seven-month prognosis.

I found her collapsed in the shower, she had been lying there 16 hours.

She had to leave her farm, leave her beautiful puppy, her friends, go into care and confront her mortality in a two-week period.

Over the next 10 months she showed a quiet strength — the likes of which I had never seen before — dignity and a burning desire to love her kids and ensure they knew how important they were, while continuing to teach them what was right and wrong.

In her illness and her death I met and loved an amazing new part of my mum, and for that I am thankful.

This photo shows her laughing without a care as we share a "fluffy coffee" at the seaside, and in the sea breeze it ended up all over her.

I remember this carefree laugh and hold it tightly.

— by Seaside lover

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Grandpa Ball: Born 1917

"This is my Grandpa. He died last week, age 98. He was a truly wonderful man."

My grandpa died last week. He was a kind, clever and compassionate man and even though he was so very old, he was still smart and interested in everyone around him.

That was the thing about Grandpa; he was interested in you — what you thought, what you wanted, what you did.

Not just us, but everyone.

Whilst in hospital he asked the doctor/nurse/cleaner from a non-English-speaking background how to say hello in their first language.

From then on. that's how Grandpa would greet them.

Grandpa taught us, via his deeds more than his words, to treat others as you would have them treat you.

He sent us cards at Christmas that included a gift of a cow to a poor African village.

I think I've contributed, via Grandpa, six cows, several veggie patches and even a drinking well over the past 10 years.

He sent my kids funny poems and short stories he had written. I remember as a child sitting at Grandpa's feet, listening to him recount stories — without a book — that held me enchanted and enthralled.

He encouraged, listened, comforted and cared.

His younger brother Peter died in the war age 18. He lost two wives, both to cancer. He lived with us for a time after my own father died.

He was solid, strong and dependable.

In the weeks before he died, he spoke with all four of his daughters at length about his wishes for his funeral.

'No' to Amazing Grace as a hymn, and he had pre-paid for his biodegradable coffin.

He grew sicker and so my Mum left from England, praying he wouldn't die yet.

He waited, in what I think was his final act of giving, for all of his daughters to be at his side and then slowly, gently, he went to eternal rest.

I can't be sad for the magnificent life he led and the legacy he gave us as a family.

I am sad though, that he is gone. He was a wonderful man and I loved him dearly.

Life goes on, but for the moment it feels slightly less without him. Rest now Grandpa.

— by deadlyclaire

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Kingston Brendan James Smith: Born 2012

"Kingston was a very happy little boy when he died."

Kingston was a very happy little boy when he died.

He was two years and 11 months old and it was a very unexpected death.

He is missed so much by all his family and everyone who knew him.

Kingston always loved a cuddle and a kiss and he loved life.

He loved riding his bike, climbing and playing outside.

He also liked books and singing songs, especially ones with hand actions!

We miss you Kingston and there's a big hole in our hearts now.

RIP baby boy xx

— by Dianne Smith

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Jonah Lomu: Born 1975

"Jonah was a legend of the game and [was] loved by his many fans."

The towering 1.96 metre tall, 119 kilogram former All Blacks rugby union player died suddenly of a heart attack on November 18 following a long-haul flight.

He was once seen as the most unstoppable force in international rugby and his huge form racing down the pitch, clutching the ball, with defensive players falling in his wake was a sight to behold.

Lomu made his international test debut with the New Zealand side in 1994, the youngest All Black ever, but rose to stardom after a stellar performance in South Africa's 1995 World Cup.

In the semi-final of that series, Lomu almost single-handedly won the game after scoring four tries and running through a shell-shocked English defence as the All Blacks won 45-29.

Jonah Tali Lomu was born in Auckland, New Zealand to Semesi and Hepi Lomu but a year later, after his brother was born, he was given to his aunt and taken to the Ha'aipai Islands in Tonga.

Six years later, his parents brought him back to New Zealand where he had to learn to speak English.

His father would beat him regularly and Lomu grew up surrounded by violence; by the age of 15, he was known to police and his father threw him out of home.

Thanks to the foresight and compassion of a high school teacher and a rugby coach, Lomu's potential as an exceptional athlete was identified and his anger and aggression were soon channelled into rugby union.

It was not long before he attracted the attention of All Black selectors and the rest is history.

"Jonah was a legend of the game and [was] loved by his many fans, both here and around the world," New Zealand rugby chief executive Steve Tew said via Twitter.

Lomu's rugby career was cut short not by injury but by a rare kidney complaint called nephritic syndrome which required him to undergo dialysis five times a week.

He had a kidney transplant in 2004 and attempted a return to rugby but various injuries sent him to the bench.

Lomu retired in 2002 with 63 caps and 37 international tries and is survived by his third wife Nadene and two children.

Ray Behsman: Born 1950

"A great Aussie bloke with a million stories to tell."

I met Ray when he was pushing dams in the Central Wheatbelt in about 1994.

He revolutionised the way dams were sunk by digging round holes rather than a square or rectangle.

Ray was quick with a smile and a joke, and always willing to lend a hand if you needed.

He told me many a tale of clearing land at Condingup on the south-east coast, but one that stuck in my mind was that he was pulled up in Esperance with his two bulldozers parked sideways on the low loader.

He was trying to save a second trip, by loading them both at once.

Was it true? You never know.

— by Charloteedv

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Henry Lewis Gerard Ford: Born 2015

"A little boy and his bear will always be playing ..." (A.A Milne)

On April 22, my daughter gave birth to, and said goodbye to, her first child and my fourth grandchild.

Baby Henry was just over 20 weeks when his little life ended.

The only thing I was able to do was to make him some tiny clothes to be buried in as there was nothing small enough in the premmie baby clothes available anywhere that I could find.

It was a task laden with pain, tears blurring every stitch.

Pain at not being able to 'fix it' for my daughter, and the pain of all the Grandma times I would never have with that precious and much-loved little man.

— by Batesy

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Hanh Tran: Born 1954

"A generous and inspirational teacher and a talented photographer."

The former CEO of Radio Australia, Hanh Tran, died suddenly on September 3 leading to a stream of emotional tributes on social media.

Tran was remembered for his leadership, for his great cooking, for being "an exceptional father", as a teacher, a mentor and so much more.

"A generous and inspirational teacher and a talented photographer," wrote one, John Gunn.

"His sage advice and mentoring contributed greatly to me own photographic practise and career as an ABC cameraman."

The young man who fled Vietnam in 1972 with a golden opportunity, was from a family of ten children.

"I got a scholarship so it was a very, very good reason to leave the country, to leave the war behind," Tran said in a 2008 interview.

Tran began life with a degree in forestry but soon found media and in particular, photography, was his passion.

He said that as a migrant, he saw Australia with "a peculiar view" and soon his work was the Parliament House Art Collection Collection.

Tran first worked with Radio Australia in the early 1990s, which gave him the opportunity to do something for Vietnam.

"I really loved using the sound to describe, you know, paint a picture, if you like," he said.

A stint as the BBC's head of their Vietnamese Service followed where he learned valuable skills which he brought back to Australia.

As CEO of Radio Australia, Tran was the voice of Australia to the Asian region.

"I hope that I'm a bridge," he said in 2008.

"I'm someone who can actually prove that people can move between cultures, across national boundaries and doing the kind of thing that cements relations between people."

General Eva Burrows: Born 1929

"She pleased God'. That's one very important thing to me; that my life has been pleasing to the God I serve."

It could be said General Evangeline Evelyn Burrows was born with the Salvos in her blood.

Both her parents were Salvation Army majors and following her birth in Newcastle, NSW, her father came home from Sunday service, lifted his baby daughter out of her cot and declared: "I dedicate this child to the glory of God and the salvation of the world."

Her parents even named their eighth child after Evangeline Booth, the daughter of the Salvation Army's founder and its first female international commander.

Burrows became the second — in 1986 — and the youngest.

She served as the leader of the Salvation Army, the highest ecclesiastical position held by any woman in the world, for seven years.

The family grew up poor and nomadic, moving around as her parents' followed their calling.

As a child, Burrows played the tambourine but recalled rebelliousness in high school wanting to "be herself".

It was while she was at university, the first in her family to attend, that she asked God's forgiveness of her rebelliousness and vowed to submit.

From then, Burrows committed her life to the Salvation Army, serving in Zimbabwe, Britain, Sri Lanka, Scotland and Australia.

She spoke out against apartheid, worked to help women, revamped the organisation's financial structure and engineered a return of the Salvation Army to Eastern Europe after it had been banned under Communism.

Even after retirement, Burrows continued her work in Melbourne with homeless youth and Bible groups and served on the International Bible Society.

She was energetic and enthusiastic and her willingness to engage with everyman earned her the moniker, 'the People's General'.

"'She pleased God'. That's one very important thing to me; that my life has been pleasing to the God I serve," Burrows said when asked by her biographer what she would like on her tombstone.

General Burrows was 'promoted to glory' on March 20.

Kevin John Warren: Born 1927

"A family man, a man of poetry and fishing, the patriarch of a well known fishing family in Eden, NSW."

Eden has lost another of its icons with the passing of my father, Kevvy Warren on August 6.

Dad was born in 1927, and was always destined for a life on the sea.

The family built many of their boats — one of which was the Silver Cloud — built for Dad by his grandfather in the family property.

Dad was one of the true pioneers in the fishing industry in the early days when the local townspeople referred to them as "two bob fishermen with barely a cent between them."

Fishing then, as now, for most men of the sea, was about lifestyle as much as a way to earn a living. Some people, like Dad, are simply born with salt water in their veins.

He loved new challenges and was driven to push the boundaries; to learn, explore, experiment and do his best to stay ahead of the game of fishing.

He left the safe harbour of Twofold Bay and sailed to Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania in pursuit of the elusive fish while continually changing and upgrading his boats so that he could try new methods of fishing.

In the 1960s, he pioneered the use of light aircraft to spot for both tuna and salmon.

He bought his own planes, employed pilots to fly them and took to the air, and he went to great lengths to pass messages about the location and size of a patch of fish to his boats without the opposition listening in.

I recall he dropped messages from his planes on, or near, the boats at sea in Milo tins, worked out secret codes which he gave over the radio and at one stage even learned a little French to direct his boats to the fish.

Dad's passion for fishing was surpassed by his passion for family.

Mum accompanied him on many of his voyages interstate and Dad set up an HF radio at our home so Mum could always monitor the boat's movements and pass on messages to their families.

The fact that his sons and each of his four grandsons have chosen to continue the family tradition of life on the sea was a great source of pride for Dad and testament to his inspiration.

When Dad finally "retired" from professional fishing, he and Mum hooked up their caravan, took up recreational fishing and spent many years travelling Australia from top to bottom, camping by rivers, lakes, estuaries and the coast — anywhere they could drop a line.

I know that Eden will miss in Dad another of its special characters, many of whom have been lost in recent times.

With their loss, a part of the town's history disappears and they will be forever missed.

— by Cheryl

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Maree Healey: Born 1952

"I'd like to introduce you to my Mum. Always smiling, she had a natural remedy for everything!"

I was blessed to have this amazing lady as my mum for 40 years.

Always smiling, she had a natural remedy for everything!

When your mum gives you a book called '1,001 Uses for Vinegar' you know she's got things covered!

Ask anyone what they miss about my mum and they will tell you, it's her hugs and her cooking.

But it's our chats I miss the most; chats about everything and nothing much.

Butterflies are now our link to you.

They adorn the walls in my home, they appear in your grandchildren's artwork, there is even one tattooed onto my forearm.

Love you mumma.

— by Amanda Healey

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Felicity Wishart: Born 1965

"All Australians, whether they realise it or not, owe a debt of gratitude for her work."

In a career spanning more than three decades, environmental campaigner and conservationist Felicity Wishart, or 'Flic', played a leading role in protecting the Great Barrier Reef and Australian rainforests from land clearing.

She was a hugely influential worker with the Australian Conservation Foundation, The Wilderness Society, the Queensland Conservation Council and the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS).

"Flic was one of Australia's leading conservationists and was a great and inspiring champion for the planet, the cause she dedicated her life to," the AMCS said.

"None worked harder, with as much grace and achieved as many results to protect our heritage.

"All Australians, whether they realise it or not, owe a debt of gratitude for her work."

She mentored new campaigners, especially up and coming women in the environmental movement.

Her goal was to see change through her ability to inspire others, she made change happen.

Wishart was born in Melbourne and grew up with five brothers which probably helped her to develop the tenacity she showed as an adult.

At age 17, she joined protesters fighting to save the damming of Tasmania's Franklin River and, like many others, was arrested and jailed briefly.

After studying environmental science at university, she immediately began work to protect our natural heritage.

She was involved in the successful campaign by the Australian Conservation Foundation to list North Queensland's tropical rainforests as World Heritage sites.

From rainforests she moved to prevent land clearing in Queensland, then climate change and marine conservation.

At the time of her unexpected death in her sleep on July 20, Wishart was working on the Fight for the Reef campaign with AMCS.

Nick Russell Miles: Born 1992

"He cooked meals for his brothers and me, his father; vindaloo was a favourite."

Nick was part of the usual 'less than perfect family', with brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, friends and various others who loved and confused him with equal measure.

As a child Nick was diagnosed as having ADHD and later this was clarified as Asperger's syndrome.

This meant that Nick's experience of the world was more confusing than for most of us, as the analytical stream of his brain and the emotional stream were less interconnected.

He was to experience learning difficulties, his parents' divorce, his mother Rosemary dying much too soon, having to take what work might be offered and various tribulations of life.

My son Nick had a powerful memory.

Before he started school, he could name each of the Thomas the Tank Engines: James, Gordon, Annie and Clarabel, and many others.

He could put away one or two trains in his toy box, but when faced with too many, he was unable to comprehend a solution.

He had abundant patience, which he drew on when working as a personal care attendant. He cooked meals for his brothers and me, his father; vindaloo was a favourite.

Nick often cycled to work, even in the midst of winter. One summer we volunteered for the Great Victorian Bike Ride. I rarely saw him as he worked and partied with the many other young volunteers.

Nick enjoyed drawing, as did his grandfather and great-grandfather who shared a family curse of depression; Japanese anime was his preferred style.

He often preferred familiar activities with people he knew. Then again, he'd recently joined a drawing group, and chatted with people about movies at the Russian Film Festival.

Nick had sought medical advice on his own initiative a few months prior, about the increased anxiety he was experiencing.

He took the prescribed medication. He did not miss any appointments with the clinical psychologist. Nick had also enrolled in a TAFE course in bakery.

We cannot know what was in Nick's mind on the evening he died in January and why he so hastened into this good night. He was 22 years old.

His family has earnestly reflected on how we might have better supported Nick.

There was a train driver who was also involved in this incident, and who has been greatly traumatised.

Nick is buried with his mother in Eltham Cemetery.

If you need advice about coping with your situation, there are lots of places to get help, including your local GP.

You can call Lifeline (24/7) on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue (24/7) on 1300 22 46 36.

— by Fluellen

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Priscilla Kincaid-Smith: Born 1926

"Her research endeavours and education endeavours are almost unparalleled in renal disease."

Discovering the link between headache tablets and kidney disease was just one of Professor Priscilla Kincaid-Smith's many achievements.

She was also a trailblazer for women in science and medicine, paving a prestigious path with some of the world's most respected institutions.

Born in Johannesburg, South Africa as one of four children, she was a talented swimmer and hockey player, enjoying sport almost more than study.

Despite this, Kincaid-Smith began university at 16 but was thought too young to study physical education, so began a medical science degree.

According to the AMA, she topped most of her classes and discovered her passion for medicine.

After studying pathology and cardiology in London, she and her husband Dr Ken Fairley moved to Australia in 1958 where she met her first challenge as a female doctor.

Because of the laws of the time, Kincaid-Smith was told she could not work as she was married.

Kincaid-Smith, who died in Melbourne on July 18, was the first female professor at the University of Melbourne and the first female chair of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

In addition, she was the first female chair of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and the first female chair, and Australian, of the World Medical Association.

Her most important discovery was the link between popular headache powders, Bex and Vincent's, and kidney disease during the 1960s.

She went on to lobby for restrictions on the availability of the analgesics.

Kincaid-Smith was a major force behind the establishment of the renal transplant unit at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

"For their time, [her achievements] were quite remarkable," colleague Professor Rowan Walker said.

"Her research endeavours and education endeavours are almost unparalleled in renal disease. She was very much bent on preventing patients reaching end-stage kidney disease."

She was just as passionate about her family as she was about her work and, encouraged by her husband, returned to work three weeks after giving birth to twin boys.

Two of her three children were dyslexic so she read all their schoolbooks onto tapes.

According to one son, she would say: "There's only one thing that matters: that your kids know you love them."

Jude Townson: Born 1948

"Jude was warm, funny, talented and non-judgmental."

Jude was a wonderful, warm person who always found time to help her friends.

She was a talented artist and a much loved member of the Stokers Siding community in northern NSW.

The breast cancer which she had shaken off years before returned, and this time it was relentless.

My only regret was that I never made that catch-up phone call which had been on my mind for weeks — until it was too late.

I miss you Jude and so do all your friends and family, including Miss Molly the mad poodle who I believe was with you till the end.

Travel well darling.

— by Claire

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Andrew MacDonald: Born 1952

"He put all his energy into making a happy childhood for his children and grandchildren."

Dad was at his happiest when playing with kids, in particular his two grand-daughters, but any kid would do.

He was like a big kid himself; round face, big smile, roaring laugh, and always up for some mischievous fun.

His own childhood was a lonely one, so he put all his energy into making a happy childhood for his children and grandchildren.

There were always games — tickling, chasing, teasing and later, 'in-jokes' and nicknames.

Dad passed away in February. He spent the last few months and weeks of his life playing games.

Struggling out of hospital on Christmas Day last year in a wheelchair, there was still some energy left for water pistol fights with the kids.

At his hospital bedside, it was 'Chinese Checkers', 'Snakes and Ladders' and dominoes.

In his favourite chair in the sunny rumpus room, it was cross-words, Sudoku and word-searches.

Somewhere, someplace, is a special man, creating joy with the roll of a dice.

Congratulations dear Dad, you have completed a great game, now rest in peace my dear one.

— by Kylie MacDonald

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Terry John Finn: Born 1955

"He was very wise, loyal, a great listener and observer."

My Dad's passion throughout his life was riding bikes.

He taught me not only to ride a bike, but as well as that, he taught me what is most important in life.

He didn't need materialistic "things" in his life. Time spent with family and friends was his priority.

Oh, maybe just the occasional Arnott's chocolate teddy bear biscuit and a Carlton draught here and there and he was more than happy.

Dad worked hard all his life and after a career, first as a pastry cook (he was famous for his shortbread biscuits at Christmas time) and then as a customs officer, he had recently retired and settled down to enjoy his family, travels in the great outdoors, and of course more time to ride.

Dad loved weekends away in the family caravan.

He enjoyed having a campfire and would sit with his grandkids on his lap, pointing out the Southern Cross in the night sky, telling them stories about "when he was a little boy...."

He was a devoted "Pa" and cherished his grandchildren immensely.

Dad was a very relaxed person, never worrying about the little things that didn't matter. He was very wise, loyal, a great listener and observer.

His exceptional wit and humour will be greatly missed by all that knew him.

He had so much more to do.

Sadly, Dad lost his life after he was hit by a car while out riding his bike on a sunny day in October.

We know he would like us to advocate for more road safety awareness in the community.

Ride on dad, ride on.

— by Allison Fathers

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Brenda Bartlem-Ward: Born 1941

"Mum would've given you her last 20 cents or the shirt off her back if you needed it."

My Mum was an amazing woman.

She raised me by herself from when I was 14 years old. Nothing was ever too much trouble for her.

All my friends loved her and we would sometimes have 10 or more kids bring their school lunches to eat on our lounge room floor.

Mum only went to year six in her education and to make ends meet, she took in people's ironing and cleaned their houses. Money was tight but life was happy.

In our small town, Mum was known to all as 'Mama'. She loved children and they loved her right back.

Along with her five biological grandchildren, she 'adopted' many more.

She was with her partner Des, for 31 years and she had her beloved little dog Misty.

Mum would've given you her last 20 cents or the shirt off her back if you needed it.

If I turn out to be half the woman Mum was, I will be happy.

Mum spent her last weeks in a hospital. She suffered with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (but had never smoked in her life), along with many other illnesses.

In the end, she lost the use of her arms and legs and could do nothing for herself.

Mum had always been my best friend and she begged me to make sure no other people suffered as she did.

That is why I have started a petition to change the voluntary euthanasia laws in Australia.

The petition is on change.org. No other beautiful angels should have to suffer as my darling Mum did.

— by Vicky Crichton

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Malcolm Fraser: Born 1930

"What we do not know, we often fear. What we do not understand, we fear. And what we fear becomes a threat."

Australia's 22nd prime minister, John Malcolm Fraser died aged 84 on March 20.

As a minister in John Gorton's government, he was the first federal politician to use the word "multiculturalism".

Appointed leader following Gough Whitlam's dismissal in 1975, Fraser's multicultural conviction found shape in immigration policy in the post-Vietnam war push to bring refugees to Australia.

"We were also working to get people to understand that the idea and the reality of a multicultural Australia could be an enormous strength to this country, not a weakness," Fraser said.

"There is strength in this kind of diversity so long as we understand what it's about."

He went on to win three further elections before being unseated in 1982, at a time when the country was facing recession, drought and social unrest.

Fraser was suffering back pain and was being treated in hospital when he called a snap election, the same day Bob Hawke became opposition leader.

But the strategy backfired and he was defeated, eventually retiring from parliament in 1983.

Fraser was born into a wealthy Victorian pastoral family and attended various private schools before going on to read politics, philosophy and economics at Oxford's Magdalen College in 1952.

Upon his return from the UK, he entered politics in 1955, becoming Parliament's youngest MP.

In a political career spanning almost 30 years, Fraser advocated for immigration as a means of boosting Australia's population.

His greatest asset and supporter was his wife Tamie, whom he married in 1956.

Following politics, Fraser formed CARE Australia in 1987, part of the international CARE network of humanitarian organisations and spent many years involved in the organisation.

He was a member of the Commonwealth observers group during elections in Pakistan, Tanzania and Bangladesh during the 1990s.

In 2000 Fraser was awarded a Human Rights Medal for his contribution to advancing human rights, in Australia and internationally.

In recent years, Fraser enthusiastically embraced Twitter, using it to convey his disappointment in topics ranging from Indigenous policy, the UN, refugees and the Iraq war.

He was a staunch critic of asylum seeker policy in the Howard years and continued to find himself at odds with the Coalition he had once led.

Following Tony Abbott's election as leader in 2009, Fraser quit the Liberal Party after a membership of 60 years.

He is survived by his wife Tamie and their four children.

Greg O'Shea: Born 1964

"Greg's happiest years were his last, when he too had created a family in the footsteps of his father."

When I first met Greg at university, he was valiantly looking for himself.

I met his big, happy, loving family — the family that everyone deserves.

Greg often quoted his father Arthur when deciding on how to act on things. Later when Greg had his own family, he too sought to lead by example.

Greg's brush with serious illness as a boy imbued him later on with a thirst to live life in a way which we were all attracted to.

He he led us to believe, with the sparkle in his eyes that yes, this day was a celebration! And tomorrow too.

He laughed often. His warmth filled a room on its own. Quietly charismatic, a gentle and thoughtful man, it's hard to remember anything that wasn't good and honourable about Greg.

Perhaps his main fault was that he drank too many cups of tea.

In 1990, Greg became a registered landscape architect and established a contemporary practice on the Gold Coast — The Environmental Design Group.

He had a passion for detail and an eye for the quality of things which provide comfort and beauty. He designed towns, furniture, houses and objects.

He became the most complete designer I have known and one of Queensland's best.

Greg had a passion for travel, adventure and action sports. We rode skateboards, surfboards, skis, sports cars and later, he loved to swing dance and drive Vespas.

Once we walked for two weeks with an Aboriginal clan along their dreaming trail on the north coast near Broome.

We rode horseback en-route to the ruins of Machu Picchu.

Later Greg and Leisa drove Vespas in Europe, vintage cars in Cuba and stayed in Ryokan homes in Japan.

Greg and Leisa were inseparable and a more devoted father you would not have met — his daughters Kitty and Molly filled his life with joy.

Greg's happiest years were his last, when he too had created a family in the footsteps of his father.

Towering above

Is a short bloke

Feet a-stance

With the smile of a Spanish conquistador

Endurance and fortitude clothe him

And he wears the sword of perfection

In the glory of his eyes

Are his three girls

Framed by an ocean of blue.

— by John Mongard

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Godfrey Daniel: Born 1923

"He was a man of great humour and warmth who loved life."

In September, we said goodbye to the wonderful Godfrey Daniel.

In 92 well-lived years, he made an enormously positive impact on his many friends in Sri Lanka and Australia.

He was a man of great humour and warmth who loved life, music, cricket, his church and above all, his family.

A loving husband, father, grand-father and great mate to his grandsons.

We are so lucky to have been part of his life. We will miss him terribly.

— by Michelle T

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Carol: Born 1959

"I will help you choose your Year 6 Dinner Dress. I will enjoy doing all these things for you. I will be missing My Friend - your mother."

"My Friend" she says as she holds my hand. We sit on the sofa talking. For the last time. In my home where we have spent many evenings laughing, drinking, confiding.

With our husbands and kids we try to keep some sense of something normal in our voices and our words. When all we are thinking is "This is the end, this is goodbye forever."

We keep the chat light - for the sake of our families, but mostly for our daughters. Still in primary school. Still innocent to loss.

"Sophie might help you choose a dress for the Year 6 Dinner?" My Friend says.

Yes I will. I will help you choose a dress. I will take photos of you having fun. I will help you when your skin gets teenagery. I will give you tips on boys. I will show you how to put on mascara. I will kiss your forehead. I will casually mention My Friend to let you know I haven't forgotten. I will help you choose your Year 6 Dinner Dress. I will enjoy doing all these things for you.

I will be missing My Friend - your mother.

I will be there for you because she can't be.

— by Sophie

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Alice Catherine Prior: Born 1930

"I hope she is having a ceilidh with the rest of the Prior clan."

My Auntie Josie or 'Alice Catherine Prior' was born in Ballyconnell County, Cavan, Ireland on October 31, 1930. She died on February 9.

She preferred to be called Josie... my Auntie Josie.

Although her story is not for me to tell, I will say she loved life and holidaying with my parents.

Auntie Josie worked as a housekeeper in London for a wealthy businessman. She lived in their terrace house.

When I was migrating to Australia with my parents and sister (I was 7 years old), we stayed with her before we flew out to Australia.

She woke me early one morning and took me downstairs to the basement of the terrace house where there was a bakery.

The bakers wore white aprons, white hats and had white flour everywhere. There was a delicious smell of bread and pastries in the air.

I remember that we once went to see the Sound of Music movie when it premiered in the 1960s.

Josie loved her nieces Elaine and Maureen and knitted toys for us.

A rabbit I call Lilly sits in my bookshelf along with a threaded postcard she sent to me from when she holidayed in Spain with my parents in 1966.

She was also a mother to many furry Yorkshire terriers.

I hope she is having a ceilidh with the rest of the Prior clan.

— by Maureen

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Leonard Nimoy: Born 1931

"We return you now to the stars, Leonard. You taught us to 'live longer and prosper'."

His portrayal of Mr Spock, the half-human, half-Vulcan on Star Trek brought him a worldwide following of fans but there was more to Leonard Nimoy than pointy-ears.

In 1975, he wrote a book, I Am Not Spock, attempting to open up space between himself and the character which had captured so many imaginations.

Following Star Trek, Nimoy lent his voice to documentaries, video games and television shows.

He was also an acclaimed photographer and film director and released photography books and poetry.

But it was as a role model for nerds and geeks that he will be best remembered.

As Spock, Nimoy was calm under pressure with a logical response always at the ready.

The fans, known as 'Trekkies' emulated his signature salute and blessing: "Live long and prosper".

Co-star George Takei, who played Mr Sulu said: "We return you now to the stars, Leonard. You taught us to 'live long and prosper', and you indeed did, friend."

"I shall miss you in so many, many ways."

Leonard Simon Nimoy was born in Boston, USA, the son of Ukrainian Jewish immigrants.

He began acting in local theatre at the age of eight and in 1949, after taking an acting course, he travelled to Hollywood.

However, he did not land small roles until 1951; one role was an an alien invader in Zombies of the Stratosphere.

Nimoy joined the US Army and served for two years and after discharged, returned to California where he worked as a taxi driver and theatre usher while studying acting.

His big break came in 1966 when he was cast as the lone alien on the starship Enterprise.

"Long before being nerdy was cool, there was Leonard Nimoy," President Obama said.

Nimoy had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and died on February 27 in California.

"I quit smoking 30 years ago. Not soon enough. Grandpa says, quit now," he tweeted to his 810,000 followers.

Mason Tsai: Born 2009

"Only six years old and yet, so many [stories] to remember and tell!"

He is a loving, kind, smart, humour and bravest little boy who has been taken away from DIPG!

We had wonderful six years memories together.

The way he talk, eat, laugh, sing, walk, hug and play i-pad will never be taken away!

He never gets angry on anything. He still think for others when he is not so mobilised.

He even make joke of himself when he is unable to wee and talk properly.

He helped his little sister to brush her teeth, he asked permission on doing or eating everything.

He always have the good habit of turning off everything, he wouldn't throw away any broken toys because he still love them...

There are so many things that he surprise us every single day.

He is my sweetest and most thoughtful little boy in the world as he even gave us a smile face with his dimple after he left us.

Although, I held him in my arm w