Letter from the Editor
Welcome to this special edition of Style Magazine to celebrate our 60th birthday. Our first issue was printed on 7 March 1953 and is still going strong today. You, our readers have made it possible through your loyalty year after year. And to celebrate this amazing milestone, we dedicate this issue to a very special friend of ours, we know you will love him, as much as we do. On the cover the very dapper Ian David Purse who is without a doubt the youngest 60 year old I have had the pleasure of knowing. He has lead a full and interesting life, and here he opens up about his special calling in life and we unearthed some old photos and family memoribilia that was just too good not to share! Grab yourself a coffee, just the way Ian likes it, sit back and enjoy this issue. Amanda (aka Mandy) Brownhill Editor in Chief and Friend xx
In the beginning, God created...
IAN DAVID PURSE
March 7th, 1953 meaning God is Gracious, God is forgiving
March 7th, 1953 | Queen Victoria Hospital 7lbs14oz | 9.30pm
a Family
The
Love of
is Life’s
Greatest Blessing.
F
amily is one of the greatest gifts in life.. Ian’s wonderful family is no exception. Along with his parents June and Bernard (who has gone to be with God now), he has four wonderful siblings, Lorna, Jennifer, Judy and Alan. The Purse family grew up in Heathmont in a very happy household, although that house nearly didn’t survive as one cold day when all the children were under the house, Ian decided that to keep everyone warm, he would light a fire. The fire almost got out of control and nearly burnt the house down. It was through Ian’s dad Bernard that he found God.
Meet my
doppelgänger In fiction and folklore, a doppelgänger is a paranormal double of a living person.
Ian Purse and Dick Smith Great Australian’s
D
ear Ian, it is with great plesaure that we award you Lifetime Membership of our fine establishment McDonalds, affectionately known as Maccas in Australia! Your commitement and dedication to our company is nothing less than extraordinary, you have single handedly allowed the McDonalds franchises in the South East of Melbourne to expand and multiplydue to your loyalty and expenditure. Without you and your band of followers, who knows what would have happened to Maccas. For that we thank you. forever grateful McDonalds Corporation
Messages
to be continued....
e and m o t r e h g brot n i z t he a a h m a W n . a e f is li een He has b real example in h been a lot. I a as has been p to serve God h n Purse nu Ala has give ll he has done. Ian has always been someone who I have looked up te a apprecia
Thank you Ian for the life lived...you have been you have ac of inspirati on to me o onstant source ver we have b een friends the thirty years ! Your love and comm itmen people of B ayswater H t to the young igh thousands of kids from ,incorporating suburbs has been s een many...Tha & appreciated by s o nk life, your fr you for the input into iendship, h onesty & a my the integrit bove a y yo even when u have always show ll n... thin well... Stan gs have not gone s o d tall & wa lk proud Ia one who h n....an as y this life is tr ou as a friend & Bro ythe uly blessed xx Bronnie r in Wolter
too. Back in Youth group days he was such a great teacher, someone who helped me a lot in my Christian life. Now I see he has helped so many kids in his lifetime. Thank you so much for all you have done. Andrea Purse
ith me w e b l l i eated w r c es on a e s w u s b e i e r h o t The mem helping to clean istant Driver om ass for life, fr ht, to being your ng coffees just nig d maki n a d still . n Sunday e r a o s b a a l l w e Nu ship across th like it, our friend e could ever you o-on n d n o b enage the way e a t d y a m h g e kin ,w is unique thank you for ma e had so much dI .W break an st they could be r my e b m e e m b re years the legs and when I k in time and en ac fun chick s, I wouldn’t go b s were made ear ing HYP out ing. My school y rt of the Church th pa change a ch better being a e done not just mu you hav the South t a just that h t l l a ou for ple of y o k e n p a g h n T u . yo ss my e e l h B t r d o o f t G u for me b l appreciate you. al East. We dy Brownhill an friend. M
Ian, YOU m ade Church a cool and We have so fun p many great memories o lace to hang out. days. The a f ou ma and slightly zing friendships made r Youth group , the crazy, dan creative too many to gerous Youth group activities th list. Sunday at ar m Church, Ma ccas, 21 fla orning church, Sunda e y night vours, lead at your hou ership stud se, Central y groups Aus so many fu n times and tralia & Queensland trips..... great mem touched so ories. Ian y many lives ou ha an influence y ou had in o d we thank you for the ve ur lives. spiritual Happy birth day Love J ulie and Da ryl Lunn xx Happy 60th Birthday Ian! Wow what a huge milestone! May God contin-
As a Mum I am very proud of all my childre - they have all achieved much. But I must say Ian is the only one to be honoured by receiving ‘The Order of Australia Medal’ (O.A.M.) on the 13.6.1994. for ‘Services to the Community through The Development of Youth Programs and Counselling Services’ Bernard & I had the priveledge of going to Government House when he received it. Ian would say - that the work he did (and still does) is all with God’s help! TO GOD BE THE GLORY! Love Mum
ue to richly bless you with many more wonderful years and you are “one in a million” with your very loving, caring and fun nature which always had time for others. Thank you for being such a great friend all those years ago and I personally thank God for YOU and for using YOU as His instrument to plant the seed of God’s Word in my own heart at Baysie High all those years ago. I can testify that God had a plan for me and the small seed planted has now flourished into a tree bearing much fruit and by God’s grace He is finishing his work in me. I hope this is an encouragement to you knowing God called you to a ministry to reach out to young people at Bayswater High and with that you don’t always see the results of people committing their life to the Lord. Keep strong in the Lord Ian and finish the amazing race God has set before you knowing the prize is getting a little closer now …. Acts 20:24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. Love Edith Donovan (Van Dongen) xo
HYP est. 1971
Heathmont Young People Hillside Youth Programs Hillside New Community Inc.
The memories we all have of Ian are of fun, adventure, friendships and just a little bit of craziness.
Oh the faces we have seen
And the Places we have Been
God had a plan for Ian, he gave him many talents, journalist, bus/coach driver, pastor, chaplain, counsellor, lawn mower specialist, public speaker, leader and photographer
Ian, was kept very busy with his writing career, he also created a publication called “The Gospel Age”, which shared news of what was happening in church, pictures and information about God. From a very young age, Ian was outreaching to so many young people. Serving God definitely is Ian’s calling. Examples of his family newsletters are following.
Dear God, We thank you for creating Ian David Purse, you did a pretty good job (well maybe you could have given him better jokes to tell, they need a bit of work)! He is kind, patient, without judgement, a friend to all. You and I know he is not perfect, those skinny legs need work and his eyesight could be better. But as you said yourself, we live by faith not by sight and you know best. Thank you for being there for Ian in his happy days and his sad times, he has relied on you for a long time and you have never let him down. You helped make him the person he is today. Thank you and all our love. Ian’s Family and Friends
When you’re smiling
the whole world smiles with you