Margaret May (McPherson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This afternoon I pay tribute to a very special lady who is going to be missed by her family, her friends, her work colleagues and, indeed, her local community; I pay tribute to Roslyn Francette Wilson, who was the Principal of Elanora State High School. Last Thursday, she was farewelled in a very colourful service—to complement her very colourful personality—at the Sacred Heart Church at Clear Island Waters. Roslyn was a woman who just embraced life. She was a woman who passed away long before her time. The students of Elanora State High School formed a guard of honour to say farewell to Roslyn last Thursday.

Roslyn—‘Ros’, as we knew her—was just weeks away from a school trip to China, but she died a week or so ago from unknown causes. She had become ill about a month ago and was admitted to Pindara Private Hospital on the Gold Coast. That was on 10 February. Unfortunately, on Thursday, 12 February, at around 4 am, Ros Wilson died with her son, Cassidy, by her side. The family still do not know what took Ros. They are waiting for a coroner’s report.

Cassidy was there when his mum passed away and at the service last Thursday paid tribute to his wonderful mother. On behalf of all of us, eulogies that were given by Ross Smith, the Principal of Robina State High School, and Roslyn Fischer, a very close family friend, paid tribute to and painted a picture of a woman who had given so much to her community, to her school, to her students and to her family.

There are too few words to describe Ros. She was smart. She was clever. She was probably one of the best groomed women I ever knew—on the Gold Coast, when it was very hot, you always saw Ros in her pearls and stockings. She was never flustered; she was a very sophisticated, beautifully groomed woman; she greeted you at the school door with a huge smile. She was compassionate. She was warm. She gave so much to her community. She served in many ways: she was a Rotarian, a marriage celebrant, a justice of the peace, an area coordinator for Neighbourhood Watch, a community representative, and the electoral presiding officer, and she was twice nominated for Gold Coast Citizen of the Year. Through Roslyn’s family—her husband, Paul, and her son, Cassidy—through all her friends, her colleagues at Elanora State High School and the community at large, I say thank you to Ros for the contribution that she made to our community over many years, especially to the students of Elanora State High School.