SHIRLEY MOLLAN

Shirley. She was part of my many happy holiday memories down south with the family. There was something special about stopping in at Mt Barker and pitching our trailer camper on the grass outside the carport, while traipsing in for meals and showers. Even the Mt Barker summer weather has etched vivid images in my mind to this day. There is something about the mood of a Mt Barker summer storm with dramatic grey skies, white clouds and the sultry heat. We had memorable picnics on beautiful beaches with the whole Mollan family. As years past I still continued the family holiday tradition of trips down south with visits to Pat and Shirley, and in later years just to Shirley. This time I brought my family, Dean, Lily and Phil and then my extended Sudanese family, Rouis and Delilah. It was always with an open heart and and open mind that Shirley embraced and accepted them all without the blink of an eye. I loved that Shirley did not judge any of them. I clearly remember Shirley sitting down with the girls to play scrabble whilst engaging them in conversations, she was genuinely interested in them and their large family. She loved that Dean would come straight in and after looking at what was in the fridge, he would just lie down on the floor for a nap. She did tell him that there was nothing in the fridge but he was welcome to anything that he could find, and there was a perfectly good bed in the other room, but I think that secretly Shirley loved the quirkiness and off beatness of it all. The long weekend before Shirley's 90th, I took Shirley out for morning tea and then lunch the next day. Shirley insisted that we sit in the sun. Halfway through lunch I realised that there was a good possibility that Shirley was going to get burnt. I liberally applied the sunscreen and Shirley was adamant that she was not going to move to the shade. After lunch I did manage to convince her that we needed to move the shaded grassed area. Well almost. We did move onto the grass but not the shade. I spent the whole time applying more sunscreen to Shirley and trying to cover her up with my scarf, whilst she enjoyed an ice-cream. I had visions of returning a badly sunburnt Shirley back to the nursing home and being severely reprimanded. Luckily disaster was averted, and I am glad to say that my last memories of time spent with Shirley was very special. I will miss you Shirley.

Thinking of you all today and sending lots of love to you all. I hope the service went well. I will watch the funeral service recording once the recording has been posted on You Tube. Lots of love. Micky and Vicky

It’s Boo here in New Zealand. Thinking of you all at this sad time. I have such fun and fond memories of Shirley. What a generation our parents were❤️