George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is with great sadness that I report to the parliament the passing of a valued constituent in Dawson. Eileen Deicke was 80 years of age when she passed away on 28 September. It was a sad blow for her family and friends and a great loss to the Whitsundays community. Eileen first came to the Whitsundays literally by accident. She was born in England but, when working as a young nurse in Brisbane, she tended to a patient by the name of Bill Deicke, who was in hospital as a result of a horse-riding accident in the Whitsundays, where he ran cattle. After a period of correspondence, Bill convinced Eileen to come to the Whitsundays, and they were married in 1955. She later complained that she thought she was marrying a glazier, not a grazier, because glazing was an esteemed profession back in the UK.

For the next 60 years Eileen became a stalwart of the local community. She was active in local business and community affairs and in fundraising through organisations such as ESA, Meals on Wheels, the Anglican Church's mother's group and the RSL Girl in a Million Quest. Eileen was a very strong supporter of the Country Party, later the National Party and now in Queensland the Liberal-National Party.

It is the character of local people that makes the challenge of living in regional areas both possible and pleasurable. We need stalwarts who roll up their sleeves in the face of adversity and make the community a better place to live for their neighbours and for the next generation. For Eileen's contribution to the local community, we remain eternally grateful.