In Loving Memory of Jock Evans

It is with sadness that my first blog entry after a short break is one paying tribute to a lovely soul who has recently left this earthly realm.

Juzz and I are saddened by the recent passing of Mr Jock Evans. We were blessed to have had the pleasure of knowing Jock. Juzz first introduced me to 'this lovely old fella ' (Juzz's words), shortly after we were engaged. Justin grew up in Ironbank, a hills suburb of Adelaide in South Australia. Jock and his wife had a property near Justin's home. In fact the property that Justin's parents home was built on, was once part of  Jock's property. 

Jock's parents had settled there many many moons ago, the above photo is of his parent's stone cottage. Jock and his wife built their home on the same property. A little slice of heaven in the Adelaide hills. Justin may have developed his love of fishing here. A creek...actually it's part of a much larger river, runs through the property.

I think it's the Torrens River, however I may be wrong. 

Where are you Grandma Froggy? Is it the Torrens?

As a young boy Juzz would sneak down to the creek and 'poach' trout from it. Until he was busted that is....and that was the begining of a long and lovely friendship with Mr and Mrs Evans. He was not chastised, he did not have to dodge 'buckshot' or run from a vicious dog who was set upon him. He was invited in for 'Tea and Bickies' (tea and biscuits). 

Sadly, he passed away from pancreatic cancer early Tuesday morning. I was given the news by his daughter Debbie last night. I feel quiet blessed that she made the effort to contact us...dear Jock had a list of numbers for us and Debbie made her way through them until she got hold of me, thank you, thank you, thank you for your thoughtfulness Deb. She found the numbers attached to the back of a shadow-box that contained a scrapbooked page that I made for Jock not long after I had been first introduced to him. It was full of photos taken around the property and precious photo's of Jock and Juzz sitting together. I also included a few strands of 'pussy willow' that I had picked from the property. I smiled widely when I first saw it up on his wall, and it was on the back of this gift that Jock had put our business cards with the various numbers on them. He didn't throw the old card out, just put it next to the new ones we had given him on a another  trip back to Adelaide.

I am most sad that we did not get to see him just one more time. We had planned our next Adelaide visit ages ago. We were going to go for these school holidays however Juzz is too busy with new projects to leave Hedland just at the moment, so we rescheduled for July...only 11 weeks away!  

Still, I count my blessings for having made Jock's acquaintance and I am sending strength and support to his entire family at this sad time. He will be greatly missed by many.

R.I.P Jock

Gone but not forgotten.

xXx J&J