Dad has gone. RIP Graham Marsden Edmondson 26/6/26 - 24/7/11. 85 years old, 6 children, 11 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild. Only ever one woman in his life, his wife, the indomitable Dnelda Naree Edmondson née Cox. A clever and inventive man, loved to make things -often on a big scale. He was an engineer, mechanical, and his passions were his work, his family, music and firefighting. And of course the Navy, where he served during WW II and afterwards in the Reserve, reaching the rank of Leiutenant before he retired under pressure of work in the 1960s. Dad was of the old school, strongly believing in duty and responsibility and with a strong moral compass. He was gentle and compassionate, empathetic and generous and always liked to make others happy by allowing them to choose whenever there was a choice to be made. He was easily moved to tears as when proud of some achievement of a family member or when music was particularly glorious. Although we lost him little by little as Alzheimer's took it's toll, he still knew us through it all, testament to the strength of his dedication to his family. Because of JJ's remarkable dedication, he was able to stay home on the farm, with familiar surroundings and loved pets, till the end, dying in dignity and peace with JJ by his side, and family close by. His last sentence, some weeks before his death, was fitting. When I arrived from Samoa the day before his 85th birthday, he said to me "JJ's been doing a marvelous job".

An era has ended with his departure, the last of his generation across the extended family. A new order has begun with me at its head, the new matriarch of the clan. (Or batriarch, as John has christened me. Where is the respect, the dignity...). I was the eldest of the children and am now, at 59, the oldest surviving family member. Such an odd feeling. We had remarkable parents. I only hope I can live up to mum and dad's high standards.