WITH the rain teaming down on the roof of the Korumburra Recreation Centre today, Wednesday, October 4, just as it did for the memorial service for Don and Gail Patterson more than a month earlier, the strains of James Taylor’s “You’ve got a friend” drifted out, one of the late Heather Wilkinson’s favourite tunes.
More than 400 people filled the community centre for the second outpouring of grief, but also joy, for the life of another of the victims of the tragic incident of food poisoning at a family lunch in Leongatha in July.
Images of Heather in her early years, enjoying time with her family, at work, on holidays, with friends, with a bouquet of flowers and more appeared on a screen out front while glowing tributes were delivered in memory of a Korumburra teacher, mother, grandmother and friend who made a real difference in the lives of hundreds of people, especially in the local community.
“Heather led a life of service, caring for others with a very gracious heart,” said Dr Graham Toohill at the end.
Earlier, the service started at 11am with an opening tribute from a lifelong friend of Heather’s, another Heather, Heather Dunning, who first met Heather at kinder and at the Hugesdale Primary School in Melbourne.
The third daughter of Ted and Esma, following Gail and Lynn, Heather was a person in whom “the spirit of God was always evident; peaceful, grateful, calm, joyful, according to Heather Dunning, and it "overflowed to enrich our lives”.
“There is so much about Heather’s life that we can celebrate,” she said.
Next followed a eulogy by David Wilkinson supported by his brother-in-law Brad.
Heather, he said, was an outdoors’ kid, also fond of books, including the Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton, who nonetheless enjoyed action TV shows as well including Zorro, the Lone Ranger, Shintaro, Tonbe The Mist, and Get Smart.
Kind, friendly, even tempered and with a quirky sense of humour, she was often the sensible one in the group, he said, a wise head on young shoulders.
“Keen of whistling at home, mum was also full of music. She had piano lessons and enjoyed singing the alto lines of Handel’s Messiah, a piece of music that she always loved,”
It was to be a life skill that she passed on to her four children as well, David, Luke, Ruth and Elizabeth; all of whom played an instrument and joined the bands at the Korumburra Secondary College.
Heather attended many live concerts over the years with performances by Creedence Clearwater Revival and the Rolling Stones among the most memorable.
And so it continued with memories and “the things they loved most about Grandma” from grandchildren, and a tribute from former Korumburra Secondary College Principal Peter Biggins, with upwards of four other former and present-day principals in attendance.
For the children, it was all about how they loved spending time with Grandma.
"Grandma was always heaps of fun, good at sewing, good at cooking, so kind, gentle and loving," said one.
"Creative, fun and always smiling, and with plenty of things for us kids to do. We were never bored when grandma was around."
"I will always remember the creativity, the joy and having a laugh. We made a book together and a newspaper to send to our cousins."
Peter Biggins took up the tale, with a glowing tribute to Heather's natural ability as a teacher, first as a Learning Assistance Program volunteer and later as an integration aide and in other roles.
Always displaying a love of languages, including the proper use of English grammar, and supporting her own family’s education and learning, according to David, Heather turned that into a commitment to supporting the education and development of others, said Peter, initially as one of the first Learning Assistance Program volunteers at the college, then an integration aide and finally a teacher of English for new arrivals to Australia, putting herself through a Diploma of Education along the way.
Principal at the Korumburra Secondary College for 10 years during Heather’s tenure at the school, Mr Biggins, spoke about the profound difference Heather made in the lives of many students at the school who may have had learning, behavioural or social problems holding them back.
“She was instrumental in attracting more parents to volunteer for the Learning Assistance Program, by praising its achievements, with the result that many students were assisted, not only to improve their literacy and numeracy skills, but also by getting the feeling that there were other people in the community who cared about them and their future.”
Mr Biggins said the LAP program also made a difference in the lives of the parents who volunteered their time to the program.
Mr Biggins gave several examples where Heather helped students having significant difficulties with learning and also with friendships and fitting in at school.
He said she had a natural ability with finding ways to help students, who previously couldn’t find a way through, to understand and to learn.
Heather continued with these skills when she took on the role at Milpara House, teaching recent arrivals to Australia and others who had English as their second language, to improve their reading, writing and conversation.
It was a role she was working at right up until her untimely death on Friday, August 8 this year.
A selection of hymns including ‘Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus’ and ‘Great is Thy Faithfulness', led by Terry Lay and an eclectic band of musicians, rounded out a moving service.
While the memorial service for Heather’s sister Gail and her husband Don Patterson was held on Thursday, August 31, Heather’s was delayed by the family until their father, Ian, returned home from hospital.
Pastor Ian Wilkinson was able to attend the service, walking with the aid of a walking frame, but taking more than half-an-hour afterwards to greet, hug and chat with many of those who had attended the service.
The family thanked those who attended, the community for its support, the Korumburra Baptist congregations for their prayers, the hospitals at Leongatha, Dandenong and the Alfred for their care, local police, members of the Koringal Women's Service Club and all those who had helped the family at this difficult time.
In lieu of flowers mourners and friends of Heather Wilkinson are invited to make a donation in support of the work of the Galmi Hospital in Niger West Africa (through SIMaid Ltd) via the My Cause crowd funding website at https://www.mycause.com.au/blog/in-loving-memory-of-heather-wilkinson
