Tributes flow for former mayoress

ONE of Berwick’s most loved and respected mayoresses, Sue Smith, was buried at St Andrews Church, Berwick, on Saturday 7 January.
She lost a long battle with cancer but left a legacy of kindness and family support.
She entered public life when her husband Trevor became a councillor for the former City of Berwick. He was the mayor in 199293.
Friends and family were aware that this was a major challenge for Mrs Smith, who was breaking into a totally new area in her life but to the public she was charming, professional and gracious, as though she was born for the job.
Delivering the eulogy at her funeral, Reverend Ineke Gyles said Mrs Smith was born at the Winston Private Hospital, East Malvern, to Alan and Dorothy Marshall and attended Oakleigh Primary School and Waverley High School.
“She began work at Portman’s in Chadstone while waiting for a place to train as a mothercraft nurse at St Gabriel’s Children’s home at Balwyn,” Rev Gyles said.
Her work was synonymous of her personality, which was built on caring.
Rev Gyles said that in 1971 Sue’s brother introduced her to Trevor and from that moment there was no doubt that she had met her life partner.
“They were married only four days before Trevor was shipped off to Puckapunyal for his national service training.
“This meant four lonely weeks for the couple before Trevor was allowed a few hours’ leave one Sunday afternoon. That seemed an eternity for a couple so much in love.
“Their first home was a rented room in a private residence at Liverpool, NSW, but to them was equivalent to a Toorak mansion.”
Trevor served in the army at Seymour and during that time the couple had two children, Angela and Nigel.
Sue often joined Trevor with the children for sports days and became a highly skilled archer.
Rev Gyles said that during a coaching clinic at Frankston she came under the gaze of the Australian Olympic archery coach, Hans Wright.
“Never one to talk about herself there was a moment of sheer delight when she managed to ‘Robin Hood’ one of Australia’s leading archers from 60 metres.
“This was a million to one shot but it put a grin on her face and a twinkle in her eye.
“Sue became a member of the Victorian archery squad and trained hard to qualify for the Moscow Olympics.
“We will never know where this would have led her because her mother at that time passed away and Sue withdrew from archery.
“Two special moments in her life came when grandson Jack and granddaughter Nanny Sue were born.
“Only once during her long battle with cancer did she really break down.
“This happened because she wanted so very much to watch her grandchildren grow, including those yet to come.”