Hazel

10 May 1948 – 14 September 1998

23 Park Avenue,
Randwick 2031

21 September 1998

Dear Cousin Robert,

What a wonderful selection of tributes we heard to Hazel today, including your own. And what a lot of things she packed into her life. You must have felt proud to hear your friends speak as fondly and as admiringly of her.

Ross’ and my first vivid memory of Hazel was when you brought her here to meet us about eleven years ago. We sat out in the back garden and I can still see her in one of my wide-brimmed gardening hats. Her beautiful and fair complexion, calm and calming voice and her evident interest in people made us warm to her straight away.

Another recollection was when we came to Vincent Street not long after it was completed. You had taken me out to see how the decorations on the front fence had not yet been soldered to the uprights. When we eturned to your very welcoming kitchen, Hazel had magically filled the table with appetising food. She was so quietly welcoming.

Today a couple of the speakers mentioned ‘calm’ and that was certainly how we found her — dynamic but ‘calm’ and calming.

Looking at Josh and Zoë to-day and Zoë’s resemblence to Hazel will hopefully give you comforting reminders of what was clearly a happy and fruitful period of your life.

You know we’re here whenever you feel like calling in.

With love,

Chris — and Ross too.

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Chris is a second cousin of mine.