Lorna Parke

A chapter of Jindivick district’s history closed with the passing of one of is most prominent citizens Lorna Parke.

Mrs Parke, died aged 95, on July 20 at Amberlea Aged Care in Drouin where she had lived since last year.

Born in Melbourne in 1923 to Albert (Bert) and Mabel Pretty (nee Petschack) she moved with her family to Shepparton for a couple of years during the Great Depression of the 1930s where Bert helped out at his father’s orchard.

The Pretty family comprising four children – bothers Ron (deceased), Jack and Keith as well as Lorna – in 1933 moved to Jindivick to settle where the Pretty and Petschack families first arrived in the 1870s.

Many of their descendants still live in the district.

In 1936 Mrs Parke’s parents bought the Jindivick store and adjoining house and she eventually took over the business, that also included a milk bar and post office, which she operated until 1988.

Mrs Parke completed her education at the Jindivick state school before working in the store with her parents and was quickly involved in many of the local activities and events, things she continued throughout her life.

She was active in tennis and badminton and supported the local football and cricket teams in her younger days.

In 1940 she married a local man Neville MacFarlane who, two years later, was killed while serving in the army during World War 2 at El Alamain.

Her remarriage to a local dairy farmer and potato grower Sydney Parke in 1949 produced four children, Malcolm, Gary, Glenn who died of illness at 11 months and Faye.

Mrs Parke and other mothers involved with the state school started the Jindivick Flower Show in 1957 to raise funds for the school.

She was joint secretary of the show for the first 12 years as well as taking entries, remained active on the show’s committee until 1978 and continued as a successful exhibitor and also as a steward until 2010.

The death of Sydney Parke in 1979 did not slow down Mrs Parke’s community work.

She gave decades of service in key roles to the Manchester Unity Lodge, St James’ Anglican church at Jindivick, the Jindivick Mechanics’ Institute of which she was made a life member, the Mothers’ Union at Drouin, Drouin Anglican Church opportunity shop, Drouin Hills Probus Club and Warragul garden club.

Mrs Parke also devoted many hours to visiting sick and elderly people, many younger than herself at the West Gippsland and Neerim district hospitals and the Lyrebird Village and Amberlea aged care facilities in Drouin.

In delivering a eulogy at a service at the Drouin Anglican Church last Thursday her son Gary said she had “devoted her life to helping those around her; she helped so many people I think she just wore out”.

Mrs Parke is survived three of her four children, four grandsons and seven great grandchildren.

A funeral service was held on Thursday and she was buried at the Warragul Lawn Cemetery.