Paying tribute to longtime Goulburn nurse, Delma Chalker | Obituary

Growing up on the family cane farm at South Ballina, she learnt to milk cows, feed fowls, take care of the pigs and horses and do whatever else was required. At the age of three, her milking abilities on well-loved cow, Susie, rated a mention in local paper, The Northern Star. Delma loved animals.

At age 13, due to her mother's passing, Delma's father decided to move into the nearby township of Ballina. By this time, Delma's older siblings had already left home and were either married or moved elsewhere.

One year later, her father sent her to live with her cousins at North Sydney where she continued her secondary education at Cremorne Girls High School. One year later, in 1954, Delma moved to Goulburn to live with her older sister and her family. She continued her education at Goulburn High School and completed her leave certificate in 1957.

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Delma and her friend, Betty attended the local youth group at the Methodist Church known as the OK's (Order of Knights) and Comrades. Activities consisted of meetings, social outings, bonfires and dances around the district and even the south coast. Delma met her future husband, Neville at one of the club dances just after she turned sixteen.

She moved to Sydney in 1958 where she worked at a Crows Nest brush factory, while waiting for the next nursing intake at Royal North Hospital. Delma finished her four-year nursing training in 1962.

Neville regularly made the four and a half hour road trip to Sydney to see her during that time.

They married on January 19, 1963 at Wesley Methodist Church in Castlereagh Street, Sydney. Shortly after, they purchased their first home in Blakehurst and lived there for the next seven years. Delma worked for two years at a nearby doctor's surgery and following that, at Saint George Hospital, Kogarah.

Delma and Neville welcomed two daughters into the world, Christine in 1967 and Joanne in 1969.

The family sold their Blakehurst home and moved back to Goulburn in 1970. They bought a home in West Goulburn and lived there for some 30 years.

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Delma continued with domestic duties and caring for the girls. She loved sewing and made her own clothes from an early age. She attended the local technical college to improve her sewing skills. In turn she tried to teach her daughters how to sew but too many mistakes were made and had to be pulled apart and done again. Delma was very pedantic with her sewing. Needless to say, the girls were always very well dressed.

Delma loved to volunteer at West Goulburn Public School, which the girls attended. She would cook cakes and other delicious goodies for school fundraisers and it was her famous sponge cakes that always sold before landing on the tables.

In the late 1970s, Delma returned to nursing at Goulburn Base Hospital, working on the wards. After some time, the matron approached her and asked her to take charge of the children's ward. Delma was in her element and loved the work. She always went above and beyond to make Christmas special for the children remaining in hospital and often worked part of Christmas Day. She finally retired from nursing in 1999.

Apart from many other things, she loved to travel. One unforgettable trip was to Ballynahinch in Northern Ireland where she was determined to locate where her father and grandparents lived. After a few days of driving around the area and asking many questions of the locals, the old family home was found in a derelict condition on the side of a hill. To find the old family home and to discover its history from the locals was a highlight.

Delma was a member of the Goulburn Garden Club and Rose Committee. Flowers were her passion. She loved gardening and floral art decorating. She was instrumental in organising the table decorations for many hospital functions. She received many prizes and ribbons for her floral art at local flower shows.

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Delma was a dedicated nurse and sister, her passionate nature always ensuring that both patients received the best care possible and that the staff she worked with were well supported. She worked as the nursing unit manager at Goulburn Base Hospital for over 20 years and served the community with love and kindness.

Neville and Delma shared 66 years together and in Neville's words "he would do it all over again" from the date they met in 1956.

Delma had an enduring love for her family, extending to two daughters, Christine and Joanne, their spouses Maurice and Andrew, and five grandchildren Hannah, Jonathan, Laura, Ben and Justine.

She passed away on April 20 this year.

A funeral service was held on April 27 at Craig's Hill Goulburn with interment at Marshall Mount Cemetery, Calderwood NSW.

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