Category: Obituraries

DEACONESS MARJORIE ALICE SOMERVILLE 23 November 1920 – 30 September 2009
Marjorie (Marj) Wilkinson Somerville was a double certificate registered nurse and deaconess, who, in 1946, pioneered the inaugural Methodist Nursing Services, establishing the nation’s first interstate mobile nursing service between New South Wales and Queensland.
When Marj moved to Noosa in 2007, she returned to public speaking and gave talks at bookstores and events. She was booked with speaking engagements on the Sunshine Coast until February. It was with sadness they were cancelled when Marj died in Buderim Private Hospital after a short illness.
With her colleague, Ethel Helyar, she brought a unique combination of free pastoral, medical and dental care to all, “regardless of class, colour or creed” as was their motto. In this capacity, Marj patrolled an outback region of 35,000 square miles in an ambulance fondly named “Augustus”.
As a much-loved “Methodist Sister”, Marj was called upon to assist bachelor graziers, lonely housewives, Aboriginal communities by riverbanks and townspeople. She established Christmas plays and country children’s camps to city beaches.
Marj, graceful and beautiful, was flattered by many romantic advances, but the cry of the suffering people was stronger than the longings of her romantic heart.
In 1949, when she left the outback for health reasons, Marj pioneered the first Methodist Nursing Service in Newtown, Sydney. As the infamous Coal Strike of 1949 heightened, her compassionate service to the poor, elderly and unemployed was frequently reported in newspapers. The Sydney press nick-named Marj – the nurse in the blue uniform – “the Blue Angel”.
Marj was an inspiration for the Rev Arthur Preston and Queensland pioneer nurse, Olive Crombie, who, in 1953, adapted Marj’s Newtown model for their inaugural West End Blue Nursing Service, adopting the same motto.
In 1951 Marj married and bore three children. In 2000, she was short-listed for Senior Australian of the Year. In 2006, the biography of her pioneering nursing life, “Angels of Augustus” was launched at Parliament House, Sydney.

DEACONESS LORNA LATIMER 27 July 1920 – 12 March 2009

Lorna was born on the 27th July 1920, in “The Cottage Hospital” Diadem Street Lismore. Her parents were Ethel and Arthur Latimer. She arrived into the world with three older siblings, Arthur 13 years her senior, Jack 11 and Winifred 9. Winifred told Lorna the story of how excited she was going to school the next day and telling everyone about her new baby sister.
Lorna attended Lismore Primary School in Keen Street and Super Primary in North Lismore. At the end of her schooling Lorna cared for her parents in the family home.
After her parent’s death Lorna now in her early thirties, candidated for Order of Deaconess in the Methodist Church. She was accepted and moved to Sydney in March 1952 to complete her training. When she was appointed to the position she travelled all over NSW country and coastal areas doing God’s work.
Lorna worked for 5 years in Central Methodist Mission with Rev Dr Sir Alan Walker, well known on radio and for services in the Lyceum Theatre and as founder of Lifeline. Lorna tells the story of being on the ‘Trouble Team for Lifeline’ and being called out of church in the Lyceum Theatre on a Sunday night to assist a caller who needed food. Lorna remarked she never felt disgruntled at the workload, and she always felt she could manage. She told me if you start thinking about yourself what’s in it for me, then it’s time to get out of it.
In all she spent 25 years as a Deaconess. Her position entailed assisting the Minister of the congregation and mostly doing the same work as a minister. Lorna remarked in those days women were not ordained as ministers. At other times in her life she held the position of House Mistress for the Methodist Ladies College, Burwood. She said she was glad to get back on the circuit because being House Mistress was not easy. On the circuit again took her to Molong where she helped the small Methodist Church join with the Presbyterian Church and to see the congregation get back on their feet.
In 1972 Lorna sailed around the world on the Greek liner Britannis for about five months. She travelled through the Suez Canal, around England, Scotland and the Scandinavian countries, down the west side of Africa and around the Cape of Good Hope. She had her 52nd birthday on the high seas on her way home to NSW Australia via Perth. She found that each country had its own beauty and charm.
When Lorna returned to Sydney the Church asked her to work at Orange in the Methodist Church. However her sister Winifred became ill and Lorna returned home to Lismore for seven months to care for her. When she was well again Lorna went back to Deaconess work at Menindee, near Broken Hill.
Lorna retired from Deaconess duties in 1977 at about age 59 years. She came back to Lismore and lived with her sister.
But Lorna didn’t really retire altogether as she worked in Jarman as an Assistant Supervisor for six years helping out with Worship Services, exercise classes, doing the medications and as cook and bottle washer. Jarman had the same number of residents in those days as it does now. Lorna retired altogether in 1984 at age 64.
Lorna came to live in Caroona Jarman on 29th April 1991 aged 70 years. Her brother Jack came to her rescue and made the next eleven years here in Lismore very happy.
Lorna never married and had no children of her own. These facts she said never worried her as she has always felt part of a close family. She loved and appreciated her siblings’ children. Their worries were her worries and she regarded them as her children. Arthur had 2 children, Jack had 4 and Winifred had 5 children. So Lorna experienced children growing up through her nieces and nephews. She spoke of her family as being ‘very family orientated’ and as ‘sticking together’ and ‘supportive of each other’.
Lorna explained to me that the Church and her faith in Jesus Christ is another dimension to her life. It has been her backbone and her strength. Her instructions to me were not to try to find answers for there are no clear answers but to simply have faith.