From Mary's eulogy...
Mary was born on the 10th of October 1916 in Little Hampton, Victoria. Mary, her brother Tom and sister Nellie where the only survivors of seven children.
When Mary was 15, she was scrubbing the verandah of the family home when this handsome young man passed by. He was instantly smitten with Mary and of course, his name was Bryan Gleeson and they married when Mary was 21.
In the interim however, Mary went to work in Melbourne. One of her jobs was with Madam Doovay, where Mary looked after Madam's two children, did the housework and mending.
Most of her jobs were of this nature and she always encouraged her children to "aim high"
Mary was very handy with the needle, made all the clothes for the family and taught her daughters to sew, which they still do today.
After her marriage to Bryan, they moved to rural South Australia where Bryan found work cutting sleepers. So they packed up their belongings and headed off to live in a tent. Mary became quite the expert at camp oven cooking. In 1939, they were evacuated from Naracorte after being caught up in the bushfires of 39.
Mary became pregnant with their oldest daughter Patricia, and they decided that they would return to Victoria for the arrival of their first born.
War broke out and Bryan took up the call to arms and joined the Army to serve his country. Mary was pregnant with their second child. A son Barry was born before Bryan came home from Tobruk.
After the war, along came Barbara, 5 years later, Pamela and 3 years further on, Peter.
During the war years, Mary lived in Albert Park with her sister Nellie and sisters-in-law Molly and Iris Gleeson When Bryan returned from Tobruk, they returned to Lyonville with their two young children where Bryan managed a potato farm owned by his brother Jack and wife Nell.
The family moved to Ascot Vale in 1951 and to Vermont after the passing of Bryan in 1967. In 1995, Mary packed her bags again and moved to Darwin closely followed by the Lawthers and the Gleesons. where her other children lived. She was there until her move to Hydeaway Bay 7 year's ago.
Family and faith - faith and family were the most important things in Mary's life. She was very proud of her children, grandchildren and their achievements in life.
Mary was the epitome of a lady and has never been known to talk about anyone in an unkind manner, criticise, gossip or complain. She always found the best in everyone. She had a wonderful warm sense of humour and because of her shyness people did not always
see that side of her. However, in her 80's, she threw caution to the wind and the really fun Mary shone through. She was the well loved Matriach of Hydeaway Bay and was included in all community events She loved poetry and the Fire at Ross' Farm would have been her favourite.
Mary has spent the last 3 months in an Aged Care Facility in Bowen where she was very popular with the staff - they just loved her. She always had an answer for them, as quick as a flash. She had excellent repartee.
To know this wise, caring, compassionate wonderful woman was to love her. She was a great friend to all of her children.
Mary had a long and happy life surrounded by love
In _ closing
In recent years when we were watching the news and some young person had died, she would say "How old am I" and I would say 91 or 92 whatever she was at the time and she would say "You know I am most fortunate to have reached this old age when too many don't have the privilege.
Rest in peace. | 
