Mary Burgum (1910 - 1995)

Obituary published in the Range News 3rd November 1995 by Jean Madden

TODAY October 25, we have experienced the passing of a very beautiful woman, Mary Burgum, gone to her peace in heaven above. She will always be remembered by those who loved her dearly, relatives, friends and anyone fortunate to have touched her life. A genial, pleasant person, so gentle, she had always time to listen and appreciate other people, not for-getting her very fertile brain, quick replies and memories. A life that would have been fraught with dif-ficulties and grave hardships for any one else, she turned to advantage to help and cheer other people along life's way and found much happi-ness for herself. She had lived in Baroon Pocket until the fam-ily decided to move over the other eastern side of the property and built the house with a won-derful view on the high top peak overlooking the ocean and along the Sunshine Coast.

When she was about twelve, she lost her elder brother Bill and their father in the flooded Obi Obi in the cyclone. Dressed in heavy rain gear, knee boots, oilskin coat and hat, they mounted the horses to muster the cows for milking on the old homestead side. They had to ride over the high hill where Mary later built her house to the eastern side of the property, when it all happened. The Obi was a roaring torrent and they rode the horses in. The cyclonic rain lasted a week. The father was picked up drowned, but Bill was not found till the rain stopped and the water subsided and the search found him washed up and caught under a ledge Bill was in my class at school, the brightest pupil and we all mourned his loss.

Mary stuck by her mother and the younger brothers. Mr. Francis, an uncle, later came to live with them. He had two children, Jack and Marjorie, and they assisted Mrs. Burgum and Mary. It was good to have a man on the farm with all the children. They grew up. The boys went away, Marjorie trained as a nurse and Mary loved her but she died early. Mr. Francis finally passed on and Jack remained with the mother and Mary.