Long-time CWA member dies

Long-time member of the Umina Beach branch of the Country Women's Association, Grace Williams, has died at the age of 80.

She was laid to rest in a celebration of her life at a ceremony in Greenway Chapel, Green Point, on Monday, November 29.

A guard of honour was formed by 15 members of the branch, together with members of Woy Woy Stroke Group.

Grace had been a serving member of CWA for 36 years, establishing a branch in 1968 in Dampier in Western Australia.

Unima Beach branch president Mrs Lorraine Denning gave a short eulogy, paying tribute to Grace for her work at Umina, being treasurer from 1988-90, and again from 1993-95.

A group councillor for many years, Grace knew all the rules and was often asked to give a ruling on tricky questions.

Grace was a great one for welcoming new members and introduced "Australia's Biggest Morning Tea for Charity" to the branch.

Grace also introduced "Friendship" and "Hoy" Day on the fifth Wednesday of the month.

Her son Geoff told of his mother's life from her birth in Adelaide in 1924.

Married to husband Ernie for 59 years, her many moves to various parts of Australia included Port Augusta, Caringbah, Dampier, Perth, Castle Hill and finally Umina.

Grace could be described as a "people collector" - people whom she treasured and made her life time friends, as witnessed by Geoff, Tony and Iris, Allan and Shirley, Audrey and Ray, Glad and Nev, Pyh and Jim, Joan and John.

Moving to Caringbah were Sid and Laurel, Ray and Lola, Roy and Karg.

Then there were the Dobsons. the Smiths, the Davies and the Willmotts.

Then to Umina where Phyllis and Ray became part of her life.

Many of these friends were present at her funeral.

In Umina, Grace became involved in CWA, Meals on Wheels, The Penguins and The Food for Thought Club.

Grace was fun-loving and always had a joke, at times rather risque, to relate.

She excelled in swimming and dancing and had a great love of outback Australia.

She was acting town clerk in Port Augusta at the age of 20, when she married Ernie.

Geoff came along in Caringbah in 1950, where she soon set about putting the primary and high schools to right.

In Dampier, in 1966, Grace, aged 44, established the Country Women's Associations as a Foundation Member .

Grace became a librarian, played tennis, took up golf, and generally helped bring culture to that part of the west.

Most recently Grace was involved in Woodport Nursing Home where, until the last days, she continued to acknowledge and bring pleasure to her friends in the staff and the residents.

Geoff summed up his mother's life as typified by fun, friendship and community service.

Letter, December 10 Clare Wren, Umina Beach Country Women's Association