Mavis Nancy Clarke was born at Northcote on the 14th July 1923 to Frank & Ada Clarke. The family’s growing years were lived in Westgarth and later at no. 7 Bent Street, Northcote – a weatherboard home just down from High Street. While working as a Silk Coner at Peerless Silk Mills she met her future husband, Arthur, and the couple were married on the 19 July 1941 at the Westgarth Baptist Church. Their Son, Douglas was born in April 1942.

In about 1946 Arthur, Mavis and Douglas moved to a brand new Housing Commission cottage in East Coburg where a tribe of Gypsies, camping on the other side of the Merri Creek, allegedly posed a threat of stealing young children (according to local gossip.) However, Douglas survived and shared a very secure family life at East Coburg.

When finances dictated, Mavis worked at Woolworths Variety Store in Northcote then in later years, she travelled by tram and bus every day to tend the needs of her mother Ada who was suffering Alzheimer’s disease.

Mavis always looked forward to their annual two week holiday in a ramshackle old shed described as a bungalow in Bonbeach. The bungalow had no electricity and just one cold water tap over a sink. A single kerosene burner was the only means of cooking and heating water. Mavis’s sense of fun and adventure and her genuine enjoyment of these times overcame the difficulties associated with cooking, hygiene and housekeeping.

In the 50’s Mavis and Arthur rededicated their lives to God and joined The Salvation Army at the Brunswick Corps – the former spiritual home of Arthur’s younger days. During her service at Brunswick, Mavis found plenty to do in the Songster Brigade, the Timbrel Brigade and teaching Sunday School as Primary Leader. She was constantly encouraging others and made an important commitment to her job of minding and caring for the children of Salvation Army Cadets while they attended the Salvation Army Training College.

Mavis & Arthur later moved to Weeroona Senior Citizens Residence from where Arthur passed away in 2002 at the age of 85. She subsequently moved to Inala Village where, in June 2010, she settled in to a comfortable room within the hostel area known as Alawarra Lodge.

Mavis cherished family life and had an insatiable passion for her daughter-in-law Sue, 3 grandchildren, Stephen, lan & Kerry and 10 great grandchildren, Sean, Lachlan, Jack, Madeline, Sophie, Levi, Scarlett, Emmanuel, Solomon and Avia.

Sadly, over the last four years, dementia progressively took hold on Mavis’s fun loving life until, thankfully, she went peacefully home to Jesus on the 5th September 2013.
[From service held at Le Pine Chapel Lilydale 13 September 2013]