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Welcome and Introduction
by Rob
Boorman
Good afternoon everyone.
I’m Geoff’s brother, Robert, and on behalf of Geoff and
Elsje’s family, can I welcome you to this celebration of her
life?
Her family and Geoff have been particularly mindful of
Elsje’s strong desire, some might say ‘insistence’, for all
of us to focus today and in the days ahead on the
celebration of her life and the positive impact she has had
on all who knew her.
Today we will hear about her early years, her time with
husband Ross and sons Mark, Luke and Paul, and then her time
more recently with Geoff. We will also have the chance to
reflect on a pictorial representation of her life.
At the conclusion of these proceedings we are all invited
and very much encouraged, to gather in the Banksia Room for
refreshments.
Each of us will know different parts of Elsje’s life – those
parts that she shared with us. We thought it appropriate to
give you all a brief overview of her life.
Elsje Maria
Whealing nee Pillekers
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Born Elsje Pillekers on 7th March
1951 in Netherlands to Hendrik and Johanna Pillekers
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Youngest of
4 children comprising of 2 boys and 2 girls
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Arrived in
Australia in September 1955
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Lived and
educated in Geelong
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Started
nursing course when she was 17 in Melbourne
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Family moved
to Frankston in 1968
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Joins
Marianne in Sydney in 1971
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Meets Ross
Whealing in 1971
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Marries Ross
on 5th January 1973
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Ross and
Elsje moved into a rented house in Belrose after the wedding.
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Purchased
their first property in Dee Why in 1975
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Purchased
house in Roseville 1978 where the children were born – Mark in 1979 – twins
Paul and Luke in 1981
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Purchased
house at St Ives in June 1984 – they quickly become part of a strong
neighbourhood group
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Elsje
completed design and art courses and commenced
to paint seriously in the early 90’s. She had a number of successful
exhibitions.
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Started life
with Geoff Boorman in 2004 – they lived at Neutral Bay, Avalon and Cremorne
Point. She continued to paint and developed a successful niche doing Pet
Portraits.
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In November,
2009, they moved to a beautiful 26 acre rural property called “Wombolly” in
the Will O Wyn Valley about an hour’s north of Sydney.
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Elsje
celebrated her 60th birthday in March this year.
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In August,
Elsje was diagnosed with serious lung cancer and despite early promise of
treatment, complications occurred and she tragically passed away on 10th
September 2011.
Before I ask the first speaker to come forward I thought I
would read a well known poem written by David Harkins.
It seems to say what Elsje has said about today.
‘She Is Gone’
You can shed tears that she is gone
Or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back
Or you can open your eyes and see all she has left.
Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her
Or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live for yesterday
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
Or you can do what she would want:
SMILE, OPEN YOUR EYES, LOVE AND GO ON.
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