16/08/2025
104 Years of Mum’s World -A Century and some change!!!
Born: 11.12.1920 – Auckland, New Zealand
Passed: 14.8.2025 – Australia
She entered the world in 1920, in Auckland, New Zealand — just two years after the Spanish Flu pandemic. A daughter of a determined, resourceful
widowed mother who raised her 4 gorgeous girls through very lean years and grew up in a world where horse-drawn carts still clattered alongside the occasional motorcar and music and news crackled from early radios for the lucky few who owned them.
The 1920s & 30s — Growing up in the Great Depression
Childhood was coloured by community spirit and hardship. As a daughter of a “widowed mother,” she learned thrift, gratitude and as young girls they all had to learn so much resilience very early in their young lives. The Great Depression shaped her world, teaching her the value of making do, sharing what you had and finding joy in small things. News travelled slowly, entertainment was homemade and life was lived within walking distance of home.
The 1940s — Young Adulthood & World War II
In her twenties, the world was again upended by war. World War II reached into every home — ration books, knitting for soldiers and keeping spirits alive while loved ones were far away. She lived through the fear, the hope and the relief of peace returning. The war ended and a new chapter began for the world — and her married life to Duncan in January 1947 and the beginning of us 6 rowdy kids began entering the world.
The 1950s — New Zealand’s Post-war Bloom
The 1950s were a time of optimism. She saw Sir Edmund Hillary conquer Everest, the Queen visit New Zealand and rock ’n’ roll sweep through the youth she did love music, dancing and a little bit of Elvis, Doris Day, Julie Andrew’s or Louis Armstrong playing.
Life was still simple by modern standards — milk in glass bottles, handwritten letters, Sunday roasts — but change was in the air.
The 1960s & 70s — A Changing World
The 60s brought the Beatles, women’s liberation and such a wave of social change.
Then 1964 bought me into the world which would have been both a shock and challenge to a woman then 44!
The 70s introduced colour television, disco music and bold fashion. She watched her country debate conservation, nuclear power and its place in the world. Through it all, she remained grounded — never swayed by trends except when pink and blue rinses became a thing which looked good on her as I only ever remember her hair being pure white✨
She was always curious and open to the new. She loved family game nights until she was losing at monopoly would flip the board in disgust - which still makes us all laugh!
The 1980s — The Leap into Modern Life
By the 80s, New Zealand had changed dramatically. Computers appeared in offices, and the world seemed to shrink as air travel became commonplace. She travelled by air to visit us and apparently hated each flight and never looked out the window but did it anyway to be with family.
She witnessed political upheaval, major reforms and the arrival of big hair, bold colours and cassette tapes.
The 1990s — A New Life in Australia
In the 90’s, she and Duncan made a bold move — retiring to Australia. She embraced the warm climate and new community with the same tenacity she had shown all her life. She watched the internet arrive, mobile phones shrink from “bricks” to pocket-sized of which she learnt to use one of her own and the world shifted to a faster, more connected rhythm.
The 2000s & 2010s — The Digital Age
She saw Sydney host the Olympics, the shock of September 11 ripple across the world and the rise of social media. She kept pace as the world went digital — DVDs replaced VHS, emails replaced letters and smartphones brought the world into our hands. She could use the self checkout at the supermarket and pay by eftpos!
She lived to see her birth country legalise same-sex marriage and to witness humanity grapple with climate change.
The 2020s — Her Final Years
The pandemic of 2020 was a strange echo of the one she was born after. She marvelled at technology — video calls, express lane shopping, contactless payments — all unimaginable in her youth. Even in her final years, she remained generous, gratefulnand quietly cheeky, carrying a wisp of wickedness that made her sparkle.
Over those 104 years, she lived through a world transformed — from horse and cart to self-driving cars, handwritten telegrams to instant video calls, milk delivered by hand to groceries arriving with a tap on a phone.
But through all the change, her constants were strength, grace, gratitude and love — qualities she passed to all of her children and children’s children and those who knew her.
She leaves us with memories rich in laughter, love and lessons and we will carry her spirit forward.
Her message if you asked her to her longevity was eat NZ Butter, also eat all the fat on your meat and the bone marrow ( now trendy), don’t over indulge and food servings in restaurants are way to big and wasteful.
To be humble and not judge anyone unless you’ve walked a mile in their shoes lastly to be grateful for all that you have in this present moment-count your blessings not your hardships.
Love you Nancy and will miss you so much but know your legacy lives through us all and will continue to through many more generations 💛💖💛💖
