Sept2011_Noelene Margaret Forrest
(nee Dowling)
18-06-1954 to 15-07-2011
Noelene Margaret Dowling was born on 18th June 1954 in Brisbane. She was the second child to Noel and Clarice and little sister to two year old Leon. Roslyn joined them a few years later, and then their little surprise Bevan in 1966.
They lived in the family home of Clarice with grandma and Stuart. There were always people visiting their place, cousins, uncles, aunts, etc., so they grew up with a strong sense of family. Their childhood was simple and growing up in a small country town enabled them to go from house to house and roam the neighbourhood with ease. The only rule was be in by dark.
Noelene wasn’t a girly girl. Instead of dolls she would be found playing football or cowboys and Indians with Leon, Philip, and any one else who was around at the time. Her happiest times were when she got to go to their Uncle Allen’s farm and ride the horses with Valmai.
As children they were expected to do chores around the house, one of which was taking turns wiping the dishes at night. There would always be an argument over whose turn it was. Noelene was the most cunning at avoiding her turn, sudden homework, or needing to visit the outside loo. Sometimes it worked, but mum was on to her.
She learnt the piano and was a good ballroom dancer. Some of their happiest times were attending dances in Dayboro, Lacey’s Creek, Mt Pleasant and Samford as their mum and dad were both keen dancers.
Noelene was right at home rounding up the cows for milking, very much a country girl. She could chop the wood, round up the chooks, milk or work in the pineapple and pea patches that her dad had on the go.
On leaving school at 15 she went to work at the BCC supermarket where she stayed at various locations for nearly 10 years.
In January 1977 she married Frank Forrest. They built their home on a piece of land that was previously the Dowling’s farm. This is the present house at 53 Morris Street. In May 1979 they welcomed their first son Michael. The day after Noelene bought him home, she rang her sister Ros, to ask her to come around and help bath him because she was afraid she might drown him. In June 1982 their second son Ashley joined them. Their family was complete.
Noelene was a devoted mother and always threw herself into whatever the boys were doing. She attended school tuckshop, functions, countless football matches and swimming trials. She was always happy to serve in the canteens and ferry the boys from one sporting or social event to the next. She rarely spent time or money on herself. The boys, Frank and her home all came first.
For years she grew the most beautiful roses and was a very keen gardener. She enjoyed her tennis club and friends or the hit and giggle crowd as it was known. She volunteered to work at the show, the rodeo and also at respite care.
In 1990 Frank and Noelene bought the Dayboro cafe. They worked long hours to bring it up to the thriving business it became. Although she spent long hours, seven days a week in the cafe, this was an ideal place for Noelene because she could indulge in her favourite pastime, talking. She knew everybody by name and just how they liked their burgers. She went out of her way to greet every customer like a friend. After they sold in 1999 Noelene went on to do hospitality work. She worked at the Ekka, PGA golf, Eagle Farm races, Ballymore, the old Lang Park and the newer Suncorp Stadium. She was always a supervisor and got along with all the workers no matter what their ages.
Selling the cafe coincided with the failing health of the family’s father, and Noelene took to helping their dad again just as she did when their mum passed away in 1980. She became not only the big sister to Bevan but also his surrogate mother as he was only13. They don’t remember ever telling her how much they appreciated what she did, they just took her for granted, thinking she would always be here.
In recent years she was very proud of both her sons and their careers. The biggest highlight this year for the family was the birth of her first grandchild, Savannah Peta, born to Ashley and Carlee. She never missed telling us how gorgeous she was and how proud.
Noelene may have left us but her spirit will stay with all of us for many years to come. All of us here today were touched by her love, her friendship, her willingness to help others and expect nothing in return. We wish her God’s speed and know that she now joins her mum and dad and that we will meet again someday.
They lived in the family home of Clarice with grandma and Stuart. There were always people visiting their place, cousins, uncles, aunts, etc., so they grew up with a strong sense of family. Their childhood was simple and growing up in a small country town enabled them to go from house to house and roam the neighbourhood with ease. The only rule was be in by dark.
Noelene wasn’t a girly girl. Instead of dolls she would be found playing football or cowboys and Indians with Leon, Philip, and any one else who was around at the time. Her happiest times were when she got to go to their Uncle Allen’s farm and ride the horses with Valmai.
As children they were expected to do chores around the house, one of which was taking turns wiping the dishes at night. There would always be an argument over whose turn it was. Noelene was the most cunning at avoiding her turn, sudden homework, or needing to visit the outside loo. Sometimes it worked, but mum was on to her.
She learnt the piano and was a good ballroom dancer. Some of their happiest times were attending dances in Dayboro, Lacey’s Creek, Mt Pleasant and Samford as their mum and dad were both keen dancers.
Noelene was right at home rounding up the cows for milking, very much a country girl. She could chop the wood, round up the chooks, milk or work in the pineapple and pea patches that her dad had on the go.
On leaving school at 15 she went to work at the BCC supermarket where she stayed at various locations for nearly 10 years.
In January 1977 she married Frank Forrest. They built their home on a piece of land that was previously the Dowling’s farm. This is the present house at 53 Morris Street. In May 1979 they welcomed their first son Michael. The day after Noelene bought him home, she rang her sister Ros, to ask her to come around and help bath him because she was afraid she might drown him. In June 1982 their second son Ashley joined them. Their family was complete.
Noelene was a devoted mother and always threw herself into whatever the boys were doing. She attended school tuckshop, functions, countless football matches and swimming trials. She was always happy to serve in the canteens and ferry the boys from one sporting or social event to the next. She rarely spent time or money on herself. The boys, Frank and her home all came first.
For years she grew the most beautiful roses and was a very keen gardener. She enjoyed her tennis club and friends or the hit and giggle crowd as it was known. She volunteered to work at the show, the rodeo and also at respite care.
In 1990 Frank and Noelene bought the Dayboro cafe. They worked long hours to bring it up to the thriving business it became. Although she spent long hours, seven days a week in the cafe, this was an ideal place for Noelene because she could indulge in her favourite pastime, talking. She knew everybody by name and just how they liked their burgers. She went out of her way to greet every customer like a friend. After they sold in 1999 Noelene went on to do hospitality work. She worked at the Ekka, PGA golf, Eagle Farm races, Ballymore, the old Lang Park and the newer Suncorp Stadium. She was always a supervisor and got along with all the workers no matter what their ages.
Selling the cafe coincided with the failing health of the family’s father, and Noelene took to helping their dad again just as she did when their mum passed away in 1980. She became not only the big sister to Bevan but also his surrogate mother as he was only13. They don’t remember ever telling her how much they appreciated what she did, they just took her for granted, thinking she would always be here.
In recent years she was very proud of both her sons and their careers. The biggest highlight this year for the family was the birth of her first grandchild, Savannah Peta, born to Ashley and Carlee. She never missed telling us how gorgeous she was and how proud.
Noelene may have left us but her spirit will stay with all of us for many years to come. All of us here today were touched by her love, her friendship, her willingness to help others and expect nothing in return. We wish her God’s speed and know that she now joins her mum and dad and that we will meet again someday.
