Gazpa

A TRIBUTE BY GARY SCALLAN 

[ Youngest son of 5 children]

TO HIS MOTHER JOYCE SCALLAN [ Nee LISHER]

AT HER FUNERAL.

Reverend Bruce Woolard 

CALAVARY BAPTIST CHURCH IN MOUNT PLEASANT,

PORT ELIZABETH , SOUTH AFRICA 

 

GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE JOYCES LIFE.  

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Being back at Calvary brings back so many childhood memories.

Mom was a founder and actively involved in Calvary for most of her life.

As you know Joyce was one of 9 children born into a poor family 99 1/2 years ago.

Their family lived through tough times including depressions, world wars and more. 

Joyce always had strong faith and a clear sense of justice. Born with exceptional intellect Joyce was very smart and bossy ! She was very proud of her 1820 settler heritage and was a wonderful mentor and fiercely loyal friend. 

Joyce was so many things to so many people so I thought I would list a few things that Joyce was not. 

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1] A GOOD COOK – Hard to believe given our family picture but assume we all ate better once we left home ! 

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2] A RACIST – Joyce simply believed that if you were not a white, English speaking Baptist from 1820 settler stock you were clearly not part of GODS plan. 

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3] IRISH – Despite living most of her life with Sutton/Dad and grandpa Scallan and a lifetime of Irish banter, songs I know that secretly she never believed in Banshees or Leprechauns….. 

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In remembering but a fraction of Mom's long life today we also remember all of her brothers and sisters and particularly Aunty Phyllis who passed away only last week and Aunty Sylvia who is not well and can’t be with us today. 

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We also remember our dear father Sutton who was managed, I mean married, to Joyce for a lifetime. 

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As we know parents are not meant to bury their children and Mom lost both our beloved Jeanette and more recently Roy.

 

Without those tragedies Joyce may have lived to 200! 

Joyce was immensely proud of her children and sometime embarrassingly biased towards Roy and I.

 

This was difficult to accept at first until we ourselves had 3 sons and realised the special bond between a mother and her sons. In fact, if I was half as awesome as our mother said I could have flown to SA without the help of Qantas! 

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I would like to also pay tribute to Gail and Deon for their amazing love and care over the past 3 /2 years as they looked after Joyce 24/7.

 

No easy task and we thank you for providing Mom with a safe, peaceful last few years including being with her at the end. I am eternally grateful to you both. 

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It has been a privilege to be able to help our parents during their old age and I hope that my two sons and daughters in law here today take note ! 

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There are also many others who have cared for Mom in so many ways including nurse Pat, Rhona, Wayne, and of course Roy, and I thank  everyone who has loved Mom and made extra effort as she aged. 

 

So many childhood memories. In the older church building next door we would try and sit as far back as possible for fear of drowning in the baptism pool or being too close to ‘our’ twins singing in the choir ! [May and Rhona]   

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Mom was a foundation member at Calvary, and church was like a family gathering filled with cousins and fear of God should we misbehave ! Some cousins did …...Wonderful nurturing years  surrounded by love and family and Joyce at the centre of our children’s world between Calvary and camping at The Willows. 

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Mom worked very hard all of her life and communicated and made friends with so many people wherever she went. Her genealogy, poems and tributes will live on forever and I hold dear her book of writings. 

 

Personally, I am grateful and would like to record my thanks to a special mother and friend:

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A] Thank You for having me last so that I am the youngest. 

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B] Thank you for making me taller than my brothers and sisters.

 

C] Thank you for your wisdom and for your challenging intellect, thirst for knowledge and sense of fair play. 

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D] Thank you for not suing me when I tipped you out of your wheelchair in Australia. It was an accident…

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E] Thank you for not killing me which you threatened to do when I would not eat your lumpy mealie meal porridge…

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THANK YOU MOM…..I will miss you every day. 

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So, in closing we thank God for our mother and her family for her long and healthy life, for her unwavering Christian faith and values and for her endless love of her family and friends. 

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Thank you one and all for being part of Joyce’s very full life. 

I am proud and privileged to have you as my mother for so long.

 

Ashes to ashes and may your soul rest in peace until we meet again.