Page 2 - The Local Paper - Wednesday, May 17, 2017
www.LocalPaper.com.au
Obituary
Isobell Tunzi, 99½ extraordinary years ■ Isobell Tunzi, one of the matriarchs of The Local Paper family, has died at the age of 99½. Mrs Tunzi, mother of Fleur Long, passed away peacefully at the Royal Freemasons Homes, Melbourne, on Wednesday (May 10), exactly 99½ years after she was born on November 10, 1917. Isobell Johnson was born as the first of two children of Frederick and Annie Johnson, of Wandin Yallock, in the Yarra Valley. She was born at Nurse Arnaud’s hospital in Castella St, Lilydale. Her father was a market gardener, and her mother was a nurse. That nursing tradition continued with Isobell, continuing with her own daughters, Angela and Fleur. Frederick and Annie had married early in 1917, and late that year Isobell arriced. She said that her father, a teetotaller (in fact, a member of the Rechabite Lodge from age 16 to when he died at 84) might have been over-refreshed when he arrived at the Births Registrar at Coldstream, because her name was to have been ‘Isabella Alice’, a tribute to her grandmother ‘Isabella Alice Coxon’, who was a native-born Australian in Adelaide in 1856. Isabella and John Coxon were an important part of South Australian history. Life on the land , just after World War I, was hard, but there was no expectation that it would be easy. There was work to be done, everyone played their part in a close rural community, and there were plenty of relatives, with aunts, uncles and cousins in Wandin, Seville and Monbulk. Isobell described her father as a "hard worker and a good provider". She also said that he was 'God-fearing'. Church played a big part in the weekly family life. Isobell was baptised at St George's Anglican Church, Monbulk, in 1918. In her childhood, she often walked to Church with her grandmother, 'Little Granny'. The first family home was a small holding at Wandin Yallock: a bequest to Frederick Johnson from his grandfather. When Isobell was aged just one year and nine months, a brother arrived - Walter Edward - named after their two grandfathers. Isobell was an enthusiastic pupil at Wandin Yallock Primary School, starting there at age four, and she enjoyed returning there for reunions, most recently in 2010 for the 140th birthday. Her grandfather Edward Johnson had arrived in Australia at age 3, and had been one of the early pupils at Wandin Yallock. At age 7, Isobell and her family moved to the Doncaster-Blackburn area, as her father made the decision to return to the building trade. They lived there whilst their family home was completed at Balwyn. He later returned to market gardening with apples, berry fruits and root vegetables at Mulgrave, near the Waverley PoliceAcademy. Isobell was confirmed at St Barnabas Church, Balwyn, by the Archbishop of the day. She attended Canterbury Girls' High School, and East Camberwell Girls' High. Isobell was frank about her childhood. Several years ago, she wrote: "I had a very hard mother who had
● Isobell Tunzi, nee Johnson never heard of 'spare the rod and the long corridor had all the thrills of spoil the child'. Her rod was a razor a Barbara Cartland novel, and took strap. I will always believe that the as much daring in Armstrong's walk extra attention given to me by both on the moon, and if caught, as much my grandmothers was to compen- danger. I was never caught, but probsate for treatment I got, and I loved ably the authorities thought I was doing what I hoped they thought I was them dearly." Annie died when Isobell was still doing, posting a letter." Isobell finally graduated in May a teenager at secondary school. Isobell lived for a time with her 1941, and proudly continued her links Grandmother Johnson, and later with the Alfred … going on to a rare lived there permanently until marry- achievement as a triple-certificate nurse. ing in 1950. Sister Johnson - 'Johnno' or One of her first jobs was in a city office, earning 19/9, with 3d taken 'Johnny' - continued work at places out in tax. She said there were only including the Women's Hospital, two good times of the week at the Keppel Street Infant Centre, the Reoffice: pay day, and Saturday 12 patriation General Hospital, Jessie McPherson Hospital, shift work at noon, knock-of time. Isobell had early ambitions for a the Preston and Northcote Commucareer in journalism, but the news- nity Hospital, and the Austin Hospapers were only hiring men. The pital. It was when she was working at nursing spark was ignited when she applied to train at the Alfred Hospi- the T & G Insurance Company, that she met Bill Tunzi, a handsome extal, and was accepted. Actually, the nursing had links to serviceman, who worked at Isobell's childhood. She recalled McPherson's from age 14, later as a wearing one of her father's handker- fitter and turner, then as a supervichiefs on her head, with a red cross sor. When he started, he rode his bike pencilled on it. The family pets were heavily bandaged - whether they to work from Tullamarne. After returning from active war service overneeded it or not. Before starting at the Alfred in seas in the 2/14th Battalion, Bill unOctober 1937, Isobell had to com- dertook a diesel engineering course plete a course in invalid cooking at at RMIT night school, and management courses. Swinburne Technical School. They met through his brother Isobell was out of action for eight months with kidney illness; George and his partner. Bill asked if turberculosis. She had tried to join he could accompany Isobell on the the Army as a nurse in these War Sydney Rd tram, going well past his years, but was told "we need nurses, stop to accompany her home. He asked if they might go on Sunnot patients". She confided, offering few details, that she had been en- day afternoon walks, which they did gaged; there was a war-time trag- to the Coburg Lake. Bill had had a previous marriage, and a daughter edy. In her own biographical notes on Heather, and asked Isobell if he her years at the Alfred, Isobell wrote: were free, would Isobell marry him? "I was never a social success but I And so, they were married at did have my moments and that trip Alphington on September 23, 1950. down the iron stairs behind the resi- They had half-a-house at Ivanhoe, dents' rooms, and the walk back along then accommodation at Ascot Vale.
The Tunzis were one of the pioneer families of the Peter Lalor Housing Co-Operative, in the suburb of the same name. Their community involvements were many. Bill was active in the founding of the Lalor Football Club, golf club, and the Freemasons, with memberships of the Lodges of Retorspect and Happiness. Isobell was active as a guide leader, even a probation officer, and she confided that she was studying for a law degree in the 1960s. She was tempted to tutor in the women's school at the Repat Hospital. Isobell was local correspondent for the Whittlesea Post local newspaper. In the early days of Lalor, she acted as a receptionist-nurse for the local doctors … she worked as a parttime cashier at the TAB.. Indeed the recently published 50-year history of Lalor ponders if she ever slept. Life at Lalor also included looking after step-daughter Heather, a grandmother, then Auntie Ess came to stay Tragedy struck in 1966, when her beloved Bill died from angina-related problems at age 49. Isobell suddenly had the task of raising a young teenage daughter, Angela, and a nineyear-old Fleur, single-handed. And she did. Working as a Nursing Sister at the Austin, she funded the girls education through Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School. Isobell worked until the age of 72, still taking charge roles at the Kingston Hospital. In retirement she enjoyed croquet and bowls at Murrumbeena, and travelled extensively throughout Europe, made a trip to Fiji with Angela … and even made a trip to the Argentine. Her involvements were many: Order of the Eastern Star, the Alfred Hospital Nurses' League, Sisters of the Holy Name, Church missions, nursing groups from the Royal Women's Hospital and others. She even volunteered as an advertising saleswomen for the Anglican newspaper. Church was essential, she had a love of Anglicanism. "I never felt the need to experiment," she said. Her early days at St Barnabas had an entire social life encompassing tea meetings, dances and Bible class. Worship was an important ingredient of her life: St Mary's at Ascot Vale; St Stephen's at Darebin; St John's at Epping, and its sister church at St Paul's at Thomastown-Lalor; St Peter's at Murrumbeena; and the
weekly chapel services at the Freemasons Homes. She was a regular Communicant in services held at the home by a number of churches including Christ Church Anglican Church, South Yarra; and by Bro. Dennis of St Joseph's Catholic Church. Murrumbeena gave Isobell the opportunity to become an active participant in the Parish of St Peter, and in latter years she happily returned each year for the annual fair. Isobell was extremely proud of her donation of the stained glass window to St Luke, with a brass plaque honouring the Tunzi family. Isobell remained active in her life at the Freemasons Homes, and in the earlier years, was an active member of the writers' group. She was extremely proud of her 60-year association with the Ladies' Auxiliary. Shehad started pouring cups of tea in the old Coppin Hall. Isobell's maternal grandmother lived to the age of 93. Just a few years ago, Isobell wrote: "I planned to do the same, and here I am, 94. I have children, grand children and great grand children, but no razor straps!" It is at this point that I want to pause to pay tribute to Fleur, who visited her Mum, at least weekly, every week, every year for 20 years. As her carer, Fleur lovingly looked after all her mother's requirements, with special love and care. Isobell was also grateful for the care of the staff of the Royal Freemasons Homes, at Murrumbeena, at Punt Road, and at Mowbray House. Isobell discussed her life. She said it had been a hard life but a good life. With much love, we agree. It is a wise man who lets his mother-in-law have the last word. These are Isobell's words, written not so long ago: "My husband died when the girls were young and I remember thinking 'God will have to help me now. I hope he doesn't desert me too. I am sure he has pointed me several times as I battled on the right direction to give the girls what Bill started: School and extras, music, dancing, etc. "I shall thank Him as I see what good Mothers and Grandmothers they are, and what appear as very stable marriages. I must have done something right. “Praise the Lord." Praise the Lord indeed. - Ash Long, her son-in-law
● Fleur Long with her mother Isobell Tunzi, then 95, in 2012