Esther (Bowen) Ferret EN RN RM (1932 - 2013)

Born 10 Mar 1932 in Speers Point, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Wife of Arthur Edward (Ferrett) Ferret — married 9 Aug 1952 in Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 3 Sep 2013 at age 81 in Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: William Ferrett [send private message]

Biography

Esther (Bowen) Ferret EN RN RM was born in Australia

Esther (Bowen) Ferret EN RN RM has English ancestors.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church, Port Macquarie, was filled with relatives and friends, when on Saturday night last, two well known young people of Wauchope and Port Macquarie, Arthur E. Ferrett and Esther Bowen were united in marriage. Pastor J.D. Anderson officiated. The church was prettily decorated with lilies and pink sweet peas, and the popularity of the contracting parties was evidenced in the fact that scores of well-wishers were unable to find room in the church itself, being compelled to listen outside to the sacred service. The bride, robed in a gown of white chantilly lace, designed by Mrs. Eric Arthur was attended by three bridesmaids, Joy McKay, Deidre Norling, and Elizabeth Dyer. Each wore dainty Eau de Nil figured organdie. Two little children, Maxine Arthur, flower girl, and John Bowen, page boy, preceded the bridal party as they marched up the aisle. The bride was led on the arm of her father, who gave her away, to the accompaniment of the organ, played by Miss Flora Ford. The groom was attended by Eric Arthur, Roy Atkins and Bob Dyer as groomsmen. Immediately prior to the service, Mrs. Staples beautifully rendered the solo, "Perfect Love", Miss Ford accompanying her on the organ. While the register was being signed in the vestry, a solo sung by the aunt of the bride and recorded in Northern England was rendered, "I'll Walk Beside You Through the Years". The reception was held in the new Methodist Hall. One hundred and twenty guests were seated. After the customary toasts were honoured, the three-tired wedding cake, made by Mrs. Gildersleeve, an aunt of the bride was cut. Photographers Else, of Cundletown, and Firth, of Port Macquarie, photographed the cutting of the cake by the bride. (Else was commissioned to take a movie of the wedding). Mrs. Staples sang again at the reception. The catering was very efficiently attended to by the ladies of the Methodist Church, who were latter complimented highly for their excellent service. The happy couple latter left for Queensland by car, there to spend their honeymoon (1). .

"Life Sketch" As read at her memorial service on Friday 6 September 2013 by Will Ferrett her oldest son.

We come today to remember the life of Esther Ferret: A Mother, Mother in law, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Sister in Law, Aunty and Friend. Mum was born Esther Bowen on the 10th March 1932 to John & Esther Bowen. She was the youngest of their three children. The three children were well spaced apart in years, nineteen in fact. Looking into the family history you see that World Was I, and emigrating down under from England all added to the large gaps in between the children. The Bowen's became Adventists because of a Tent Meeting run by Pastor Mervyn Whittaker. They became foundation members of the Boolaroo Seventh-day Adventist Church. Mum was born at Speer's Point. Tragedy struck the family not long after her birth when a bush fire destroyed their home & possessions. Mum started her schooling at Teralba, then in the old Hamilton Adventist School, followed by Taree and finished her leaving certificate at Port Macquarie under very difficult circumstances. Do you remember doing your final exams? The hours we had to sit completing the papers. Well poor Mum had to do her's standing up because of a large boil on her bottom. Her first job was Domestic Duties at the San Wahroonga to earn money to accompany her parents on a holiday back to England. On her return she attended Avondale College, Cooranbong for a year. On semester break at year end she met Arthur Ferrett and that put an end to College, so she returned to Port Macquarie. She got a job in a fruit shop working for Royce Williams, a friend of her brother Jack. Her third job was at Hastings District Hospital Port Macquarie as a Nursing Assistant for eighteen months before getting married. The wedding was postponed at least twice due to Mum's mother sustaining a fractured femur in a car accident, then the femur fracturing a second time after her release from hospital. My Dad said to Mum's mother " that if she didn't want him to marry Esther she just had to tell him rather than to keep breaking her leg". Eventually the leg had healed and on a wet Saturday evening in August 1952 she married Arthur Ferrett in the old Port Macquarie Seventh-day Adventist Church in Horton Street. Mum and dad made their home in Graham Street Wauchope. Three sons were added to the family. Will, Ted who passed away in March this year 2013, and Rick. The family moved down to Port Macquarie to attend the Church school and to be closer to Mum's parents. While at Port the family was to increase when Liz joined us. Mum always called Liz her chosen daughter and a better sister we could never have asked for. During the years raising us children Mum did seasonal Fruit and Veggie picking on market gardens in the Wauchope - Port Macquarie district. These were fun times for us kids - riding in the back of trucks, eating peas and veggies, and playing with other kids. While we attended Primary School Mum was always busy especially at Concert time making costumes for 4 kids who were in lots of plays. She helped out with craft activities for the teacher. Something as a kid you didn't appreciate having your Mum around the school so much. Dad had been born into a farming family in the Bellingen District, and so in the late 1960's we packed up and moved onto a Dairy farm at John's River, where Mum became the mainstay of the Milking and Farm Management as dad's Pest Extermination Business often saw him away for a week at a time. When he was home he worked very hard around the farm but a bit too hard for his health and he experienced the first symptoms of heart problems. So under medical advice we left the farm and moved back to Wauchope. 1971 Mum decided to go back to Nursing. She completed the Nurses Aid Course now know as the Enrolled Nurse. and commenced under taking her General Training. This was to be a total blessing as in early 1974 Dad was to suffer a major disabling heart attack and was never to work again. In 1975 the local press followed with interest her progress, two articles with photos were published in the Port Macquarie News. "Your never too old to start again..." That's according to Esther. As reported by the press. I would like to share some of this article with you and I quote: "It's never too late to make a new start in life and for Mrs. Esther Ferrett, hers is just getting off the ground. Even though she is married, has four grown up children, and two grandchildren ... her dream has become a reality. She has chosen a career that's taking her places and she's going to fulfil it in every way possible. Esther graduated last Friday as a Nursing Sister after three years intensive study at the Hastings District Hospital. In fact she is the first nurse of her age to graduate as a sister at the hospital. Its a women's prerogative not to reveal her age. Mum didn't reveal her's to the press. But I can tell you she was in her 40's. Back to the article: Not wasting anytime, Esther has her future planned. In June next year 1976, she joins the nursing staff at Manly to start her 12 months Midwifery training. According to Esther it will round off her complete training and will be the start of an adventurous future. Just because Esther is starting off afresh it doesn't mean her family will be excluded. Husband Arthur will be joining in the fulfilment of Esther's dream when both set off to see other parts of Australia. Incidentally her dream is to gain experience in other hospitals. It's something Esther had always wanted to do and there was nothing to stop her now. According to Esther "She'd had a family, watched them grow up, get married and move away. Now my husband and I can complete our life to the fullest" she said. I want to work in a community hospital where I can become more closely associated with people. She believes this will be a great challenge. By now you will appreciate that Sister Ferrett's second love is nursing. Consequently, her association with the profession has extended over more than just the three year's general training. Her interest began when Esther Bowen joined the 13 nursing staff during the building of the Hastings District Hospital. At that time there was no training being carried out. Some years latter Nurse Bowen married Arthur Ferrett and gave up work to become a housewife. The couple are both used to picking up home and moving, as they experienced this in the early stages of their marriage. (The reporter listed all the moves) Still quoting from the article: It took them 16 years to finally settle with their 4 children. And, incidentally nursing has proved to be a family affair. In many countries throughout the world it is a tradition for the sons to follow their father's footsteps. I had left in 1971 to study nursing at the "San" and married a nurse. Ted did 12 months of nursing at Stockton Centre. Rick completed his nursing at the "San" & married Jenny also a nurse. Esther said "If it wasn't for my sons wanting to do nursing I would have never seriously considered going back to the profession. They brought it all back so I wanted to start again. And through Matron Usher's encouragement, I started my training." Mum told him that the training at the Hastings District Hospital had been wonderful and the staff and sisters had been marvelous. Although she was the "grandmother" of the other general nurses she never felt out of place. She was always accepted by the younger ones, and felt at home with them. She added that husband Arthur had been tremendous. It just goes to prove that an ambition can be successfully achieved no matter how late in life. That ends the press article. So they took some time off to visit Liz and her family over in Western Australia, while there Mum got a nursing job with handicapped clients. Eventually the $'s must have been running low as they returned home on the Indian Pacific with the car on board as well. Mum moved down to Manly to undertake the Midwifery training. By this time the home was empty of kids, mum and dad settled into a nice apartment near the beach. The lease expired before mum's course had finished, so they moved into the Church Flats in Bower St. Manly. While they were at the flats, mum was seen in her nurse's uniform by the Secretary of the Victorian Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. He enquired about her nursing and an offer of employment as Deputy Matron of Coronella Nursing at Nunawading Victoria occurred. After a lot of discussion and prayers this offer was accepted, and off to Victoria they go. When the Matron retired mum was promoted. But she was not going to be "The Matron", she was to become their "Director of Nursing", a role she performed with distinction. Dad was diagnosed with cancer in early 1982, this left him a paraplegic from the effect of the cancer and was given a prognosis of 3 months to live. He survived beyond the 3 months. So mum resigned her position to care for him and brought him back to Wauchope, so he could be closer to his aged mother and his siblings. This was no easy move for mum with dad in the condition he was in. But with mum's determination and the help of some wonderful friends who took their truck down to Nunawading and transported their furniture back to Wauchope. Before they could settle into the house at Wauchope major renovations had to be undertaken to transform the old house into a home suitable for an invalid. Mum undertook the organisation and supervision of the work. Mum cared for dad 24/7 for the next 3 years till he passed away in June 1985. At this point I need to back track slightly to August 1984 to explain how some of the Ferrett's became Ferret. Mum, Dad, & Rick became Ferret, where as my brother Ted and I stayed Ferrett. A genealogist had convinced my parents to use the French version of the surname. Ferrett is the Cornish version. After Dad's passing Mum moved back to Melbourne to earn money to undertake another trip to England with her sister Vera. From all accounts they had a wonderful time. On her return she moved to Bar Beach Newcastle as a live in Nurse/Housekeeper for an elderly retired doctor, for a few years. This was to develop into a lasting friendship with the Doctors extended family. Her time at Bar Beach was cut short because of accidents that occurred on Pitcairn Island to Ashlee and Jenny. So dear Mum in her usual style was packed up and off to New Zealand, then to Tahiti to help and to Pitcairn where she spent many months assisting the family while Jenny was recovering. Mum has always stood by and assisted the members of the family when there has been a need. She was never judgmental over the mistakes and errors we made with our lives. She returned to Wauchope and took a nursing position at Bethany Nursing home at Port Macquarie till retirement in April 1994 because of indifferent health. We thank the many friends who stood by her while she and dad lived at Wauchope then when mum lived there on her own. Mum gave her all to her nursing, she was known for her sense of humour and practical jokes, her attitude to her work, and her great sensitivity to the needs of the residents in her care, her enthusiasm for life and the respect she gave her colleagues was well documented in a tribute to her life, they presented to her on her retirement. 1996 saw her move to Avondale Retirement Village. Not one to be idle she involved herself in Health Assessments going to outback places in NSW like Burke. She was soon put onto the Social Committee and placed in charge of the weekly Bus Outings for the Independent Village Residents, a job she performed with finesse assisted by Evelyn, till further declines in her health forced her to resign that position. In 2007 she was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, which was not all that surprising for us as both her parents and her sister had suffered from the disease. The family as well as her many friends at Cooranbong supported her in as many ways as they could to help maintain her independence, but by 2010 she was struggling with the limitations of the disease along with the associated dementia and other health problems. May 2010 saw her taken to Wyong Hospital then later that day to Gosford Hospital for further investigations. It became clear that mum was in need of supported care and on the 1st of June she was admitted to Alton Lodge, she was extremely happy with her room there, the circle of friends she made, and the care she received. With the advancing Parkinson's Disease and the increasing Dementia Mum began to have many falls and consequent trips to Wyong Hospital. On the 18th August 2011 she was moved across to the Nursing Home where she received loving care. She passed peacefully to her rest at 11:45 am on Tuesday, September 3. Liz & Chris, Rick & Jenny, myself and her eight grandchildren, Sharlene, Kassie, Jonathan, Katherine, Anthony, Beau, Ashlee & Madison, and her two great grandsons Matthew & Lachlan will all miss a great lady for her helpfulness, her sense of humour and her bright cheerful nature. God bless you Mum enjoy your well deserved rest

Sources

1. Port Macquarie News, Thursday August 21,1952, pg.2.

Marriages Registered in New South Wales 20640/1952 FERRETT ARTHUR EDWARD BOWEN ESTHER PORT MACQUARIE