VALE

Deaths of Old Ruytonians or former staff members of which Ruyton is aware are listed here. Obituaries for the name(s) in italics below appear after the listing.

BARRETT, Jocelyn Mary (Kirk, 1946)

Born 16.7.1929; RGS 1939-1946; Died 31.1.2022

Jocelyn’s daughter Caroline Mackenzie (Barrett, 1986) attended Ruyton.

COOK, Glenyce (Smith, 1957)

Born 25.5.1939; RGS 1951: Died Feb 2002

Glennie’s sister Leonie Salmons (Smith, 1959) attended Ruyton.

KIRWAN, Lorraine (Dumbrell, 1948)

Born 21.7.1932; RGS 1944-1948; Died 3.1.2023

Lorraine’s sister Jillianne Burnet (Dumbrell, 1961) and niece Rachael Gopal (Burnet, 1998) attended Ruyton.

RIALL, Gillian (McMillan, 1949)

Born 20.3.1933; RGS 1937-1949; Died 29.9.2022

Gill’s mother Phyllis McMillan (Marshall, 1918), aunt Edith Marshall (1919), sisters Judith Ritchie (McMillan, 1946) and Diana Draffin (McMillan, 1947) attended Ruyton.

WATSON, Margery (McAlpin, 1949)

Born 7.2.1932; RGS 1937-1949; Died 22.5.2022

Margery’s sister Elaine Harms (McAlpin, 1952) attended Ruyton.

WITTMAN, Joanna Clare (1984)

Born 15.3.1967; RGS 1976-1984; Died 8.3.2023

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING CORRECTION WHICH APPEARED IN THE SPRING 2022 EDITION OF THE RUYTON REPORTER.

FLETCHER, Kath (Shaw, 1952)

Born 10.2.1935; RGS (including Little Ruyton) 1940-1950; Died 12.5.2022 ruYTon alSo wiSHeS To acKnowledGe THe deaTHS of valued communiTY memBerS:

Kath's daughter Jane Fletcher (1981) attended Ruyton.

Anne Kantor AO (past parent)

Dino Traverso (past parent)

If you have any updates of Old Ruytonians’ deaths, or wish to send an obituary to the School, please contact the Foundation and Alumnae Relations Manager, Kate Higgins by email at higginsk@ruyton.vic.edu.au or (03) 9819 2422

lorraine PaTricia Kirwan (dumBrell, 1948)

Born 21 July 1932; RGS 1944-1948; Died 3 January 2023

Ruyton’s 1948 School Captain, Lorraine Patricia Kirwan (Dumbrell, 1948) died on 3 January 2023, aged 90.

Lorraine commenced her studies at Ruyton in 1944 and was one of only four students who matriculated in 1948. Lorraine was very active at School. In her penultimate year, 1947, Lorraine was a member of the Editorial Committee of The Ruytonian, Vice-Captain of Daniell House, member of the Library Committee, member of the General Committee and Secretary of the Sports Committee. In her final year, 1948, Lorraine was School Captain, Prefect, Co-Editor of The Ruytonian, Vice-Captain of Daniell House and member of the General Committee. Lorraine was also a keen basketballer and swimmer.

Lorraine was not the only member of her family to attend Ruyton with her sister, Jillianne Burnet (Dumbrell, 1961), attending from 1952-1959, and Jillianne’s daughter, Rachael Gopal (Burnet, 1998), from 1991-1998.

Lorraine excelled academically and received first class honours in French and German in her matriculation. Lorraine commenced a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Melbourne, only to have her university career stymied, contracting glandular fever, and having her father, a World War I veteran, comment: ‘Why do you want to go to university? You’re only going to get married!’ Lorraine took her father’s lead, was married at the age of 21, and had four children by the age of 30.

Lorraine was never happier than when she was in the company of her husband of 68 years, Ian Kirwan.

The overriding influence in Lorraine’s life was her unequivocal Christian faith, being very active in her church, a voluntary teacher of religious education at state schools for 42 years, visiting prisoners in gaol for many years as part of the Prison Fellowship program, and regularly assisting sick and isolated people.

Well into her 80s, Lorraine continued her weekly tennis games, went swimming with her husband Ian, and delighted family and friends alike with her inspired cooking.

Along with her four children, Lorraine and Ian adored their 14 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Lorraine maintained excellent health all her life, until her heart started to fail over her last 12 months.

Lorraine’s life was a life lived well, which gave great joy and love to innumerable people.

Written by Lorraine’s son, Michael Kirwan

Gillian marGareT riall (mcmillan, 1949)

Born 20 March 1933; RGS 1937-1949; Died 29 September 2022

Gillian lived in Daracombe Avenue, Kew and married Peter Riall of Brighton on 19 February 1954.

Gillian attended Ruyton as a day student from 1937 until 1949. She went on to Invergowrie Homecraft Hostel in Hawthorn for a year before she commenced her mothercraft nurse training at St Gabriel’s Babies’ Home in Balwyn and was dux of her class.

Gillian was one of six children and the third girl in her family to attend Ruyton. Her sisters Judith and Diana McMillan were older than Gillian and she was unhappy being left at home so was sent to School at the age of four, making her one of the youngest students at the time. Miss Daniell was her headmistress for her school life and Gillian adored her.

Growing up during the war meant Gillian's father Alexander McMillan was away most of her younger years. Ruyton became a huge part of her life as she missed her father terribly and enjoyed the social aspect of school and the camaraderie of the other students.

Gillian said Ruyton was like a family and Miss Daniell was a very kind headmistress.

Gillian was very sport and drama orientated during her schooling life. She played hockey and was a swimmer.

Gillian and her husband, Peter Riall had five children and were married for nearly sixty years when Peter sadly passed away in 2012.

Gillian always enjoyed reading The Ruyton Reporter and it was her way of staying in touch with events at the School and how it was evolving over the years. I took her past her old school prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and she was surprised it still looked very similar to her time spent there.

Gillian passed away peacefully at the age of 89 with her children nursing her in her home. She will be sadly missed.

Diana Draffin (McMillan, 1947) is now 91 and the only living sibling from Gillian’s generation in the family.

Written by Gillian’s daughter, Jo Wolff

marGerY Jean waTSon (mcalPin, 1949)

Born 7 February 1932; RGS 1937-1949; Died 21 May 2022

Margery’s sister Elaine Harms (McAlpin, 1952) attended Ruyton. Margery was School Captain and Lascelles House Captain in 1949.

An intelligent but shy girl commencing Ruyton at the early age of four, School provided Margery with a wonderful safe environment to grow, develop and eventually flourish. Although not a natural athlete, she worked hard to win her colours as first pair in tennis and play basketball, becoming Vice Captain and then Captain of Lascelles House.

It was a great disappointment to Margery that in her final year no drama was held due to the polio epidemic. However, in both 1947 and 1948, she provided noteworthy comic relief playing characters in both the Pirates of Penzance and then The Gondoliers

Overcoming her shyness, Margery displayed an innate sense of humour that was liberally displayed to those close to her all of her life. The threat of another verse of the Pirates of Penzance was enough to quieten the family in the car on a long journey!

Friend of everyone and enemy of none, Margery’s capacity to get along with almost anyone along with her unassuming tenaciousness elevated her to leadership positions as a School Prefect and then eventually as School Captain in 1949. As her final report said, her nature ‘endeared her to all’ and Margery continued to display these traits all through her life.

In her work she grew and developed the confidence to study the sciences. During the lean post war years this meant joining senior classes at Carey Baptist Grammar School to complete Chemistry and Physics. She won the Mathematics prize in 1948 and 1949 and Best All Round Girl 1949.

Margery went on to study and complete her degree in pharmacy at the Victorian College of Pharmacy. Her ability to stick to task meant that she completed all her training and the then mandatory apprenticeship, but pharmacy was never her passion – although she maintained her registration for a good part of her adult life.

Margery married David Edward Watson in 1958 and from 1960, had sons David, Peter and Robert in quick succession. Family was enormously important to her. Close lifelong friends with her sister Elaine Harms (McAlpin, 1952), many happy family holidays were spent with Elaine and her children Susie, Jenny and Michael.

Throughout her children’s school years she volunteered for many activities, often finding herself in positions of leadership. In later years she continued to learn and develop. She was immensely proud of more than 35 years of guiding at the Royal Botanic Gardens and her time at the Plant Craft Cottage as President and Treasurer. In her later decades, she was proud of her mastery of quilting, having been chided at School for her stitching prowess.

At 90, Margery lived vitally and independently until her short illness in May 2022. She lived on her own for over 18 years after the death of her husband –a mark of a capable and strong woman.

Written by Margery’s son, David Watson