Dear Ramblers,
Some of you may have heard or seen the funeral notice for our long time very active recent member Flora Newsome.
For more than 20 years Flora led walks and trips away sometimes to far flung places. Some members today fondly recall the 1997 New Zealand organised trip on which Flora played an active part. This was followed up by leading a large contingent in 2 minibuses of Ramblers on an especially well researched, detailed, wildflower trip to Western Australia. There were not so distant trips too, leading a group to the Warrumbungles being the one best remembered. A 5 night stay in the Budawangs being another. Plenty of energy was a quality Flora exhibited, hanging out at the front of walks even those she wasn’t leading. A special attribute I found in Flora was her concern that Ramblers quickly mingled with fellow members be it at a social event, on a trip, or on an activity. As cycling was introduced as a Ramblers activity Flora was there again, out in front leading rides.
Flora was fond of Australian Poetry and used to read verse aloud. I’m imagining Flora doing this, perhaps around a trip campfire.
In later years Flora spread her wings. Flora travelled. Where’s Flora? became a common catch cry. She was the 1st person I’d known to return from Patagonia and I was lucky in getting details of those experiences that meant so much to her.
Out on the track is always a good place to hear what is on each other’s minds. We all breathed congratulations to Flora on hearing that ongoing family welfare was going to be honoured in her relationship with IRT.
As we miss Flora we can appreciate a line in the family’s funeral notice,
“A life well lived“
The service will be at H Parsons Funeral Home, 34 Belmore St Wollongong at 9:30 on Friday 30th May.
John Groom