Pope, Mrs Doreen

Mr CREGAN (Kavel) (15:31): I rise to acknowledge in this place the contribution made to my community by Mrs Doreen Pope whose 100^th birthday fell on 12 May 2018. It was an honour to join Mrs Pope, friends, family and many community leaders at her birthday celebrations in Lobethal. I wish to reflect on what I know of Mrs Pope's early life with the objective of illustrating for the house some, but far from all, of her very well-lived life to this day.

I understand Mrs Pope is the daughter of Mr Cecil and Mrs Constance Maidment. Mrs Pope spent her childhood growing up on Hindmarsh Island and then Bow Hill on the River Murray. She recalls very well the Depression through which her parents lost the family farm and at which time many in the district suffered through heartbreaking poverty. Doreen left school at 13 and was sent to work. After the loss of the Bow Hill property, the family moved to Mount Barker and to a new farm. I understand one of Mrs Pope's earliest memories was watching the state funeral procession of noted aviator Sir Ross MacPherson Smith in June 1922.

I know that my predecessors have valued Mrs Pope's friendship and thoughtfulness, and have also valued, though perhaps it has gone to this time unremarked in this place, her willingness to work on any task in our community that required her assistance. Rather than making a list of the community matters and concerns to which Mrs Pope contributed, the much shorter task would be noting those concerns to which she has not in some way contributed. As well, many in my community have reflected on Mrs Pope's fierce and independent views and lucid mind.

In 1943, Mrs Pope married Mr Mervon Pope, a dairy farmer from Mount Barker. Mervon served in New Guinea in the engineering corps. Together they had four children, and both daughters ultimately went to university and became respected teachers, a very noble profession, the profession of my parents. I observe that for Mrs Pope ANZAC Day has a unique family significance. Mrs Pope's uncle, Lesley Pope, was in the 3^rd Light Horse. As Mrs Pope explains, he was in the first wave onto the beach and into the ravines at Gallipoli. He survived but was badly injured. Mrs Pope remembers Uncle Lesley living with her during his convalescence in the Adelaide Hills and on rare occasions speaking of Shrapnel Gully.

Mrs Pope was able to retrace Lesley's journey to Gallipoli in 2015, when she sailed on the MSC Orchestra at the age of 97 to Sri Lanka, Egypt and ultimately Gallipoli. I hope that at the age of 97 I am equally able to make such a journey.

I understand that Mrs Pope lives independently in Oakbank with assistance from Resthaven and Hills and communities services, and I wish to acknowledge the care and support they have offered to her. I record in this place my gratitude and the gratitude of my community for Mrs Pope's many years of community service, service for which she has expected no return other than the joy of giving to others, and I congratulate her on her 100^th birthday.