Doreen Brouff
July 19 1919 - May 15 2009
Eulogy read by Gordon Stewart at the service at St John’s Anglican Church on May 20.
Doreen was born on July 19, 1919 at Harris Park Sydney, one of eight children to Walter and Edith Naylor. She is survived by Bertie and Phyllis and by her children Sam, Tom, Bill and Ella and their families with many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Myrtle pre-deceased her in 2008.
Doreen travelled to Warren by train from Sydney as a young 17-year-old to start a job as a housemaid at Egelabra. She was dropped off at the Egelabra rail siding at night where she waited to be picked up by horse and sulky to be taken back to the main homestead. Doreen always spoke of this time in her life with happiness and loved the country way of life.
Doreen met her future husband Sam while they were both working at Egelabra.
They were married in Blacktown in 1937and returned to Egelabra to begin their life together. Doreen and Sam later moved to Yanganbil for a short period of time, before moving to Mexborough, where they lived, worked and raised their family for the next 30 years.
While there Doreen started her passion for her gardens and fowls and her love for horses. Also during this period of her life she formed lasting friendships with Patsy Pascoe, Emily Gannon and Joyce Brouff.
After their time at Mexborough they started the next stage of their life by building their home at Riverview on the banks of the Macquarie River. Sadly in 1982 her husband of many wonderful years passed way.
Doreen started her citrus orchard and flourishing egg business and established a thriving veggie garden.
Whenever anyone came to visit Doreen they would be met by her and her beloved dogs Dotty, Tiny and Lassie and many others would not be far from her side to greet them. Doreen never said “I can’t”, got on with her life and never felt sorry for herself.
Doreen knew no fear when it came to riding her horses. She played polocrosse for the original old Polocrosse Club in Warren, and was a member of the Warren Pony Club. Doreen was a true shot with a rifle, “just ask any rabbit”. She also dug them out, flooded them out and even smoked them out. The family will always remember those rabbit drives.
Doreen has been known to roll a vehicle or two in her time, both engine-powered and horse-drawn. Ella can recall on one occasion being under the sulky not sitting in it.
Doreen stayed in her home for as long as possible with the love and care of her daughter Ella and the help of the Warren Homecare Service. At the end of 2007 Doreen moved into Calara House where she lived for 12 months before moving into long stay at the Warren Hospital where she sadly passed away on May 15, 2009.
Doreen’s life was long and full, she will be remembered as being brave, independent, true in friendship and finding joy in the simple things in life.
Doreen had great respect and understanding of the seasons and what nature could provide.
The family would like to thank the Warren Homecare Service which provided the assistance and support each day with her daily care and also helped with her beloved animals. To the staff at Calara house, thank you for continuing with Doreen’s care and making her life happy and comfortable and taking her on the many day trips that she truly enjoyed. To the staff and doctors at the Warren hospital, thank you for keeping Doreen comfortable and so well cared for in her time there.
The family would like to make a special thank you to Ella for being there for the last four years when Doreen was slowly wearing down because of ill health.
Ella you have helped our mother to stay at her beloved Riverview with her fowls (never called chooks), fruit trees, flowers and dogs and you gave Mum the greatest gift of all.
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