Dorothy "Dot" May Rolston

Passed away Thursday 9th June 2011   in The Calvary Hospital Waratah

Late of Waratah

Aged 61 Years

MICHELLE, IAN, NATALIE and JESSICA, KATRINA and GRAHAME warmly invite Relatives and Friends to the Celebration of Life for their beloved mother, mother-in-law, nan, grandma, sister, sister-in-law, aunty, cousin and friend.

DOT`s Service  held on Tuesday 14/6/2011 at the Newcastle Memorial Park Crematorium, Anderson Drive, Beresfield, North Chapel commencing at 1pm.


Reunited with Loved Ones

 "Always Loved"

Rest now Dotty, you now have your angel wings and it`s time to be free. We"ll all miss your sense of humour,your wicked wicked laugh and of course you. We all have our treasured memories of you. R.I.P Luv Cherie xxxx

Sometimes we can¡¯t say the words we mean to say face to face but know within my heart I love you, you called a spade a spade and didn¡¯t take crap because that was who you were,will miss you.

Janet xx 

A CELEBRATION OF LIFE

DOROTHY MAY ROLSTON

Sir Winston Churchill once said ¡°We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give¡±.

If that is true, then DOROTHY MAY ROLSTON made a great life.  She was her own person and she did it her way.

Dot, Mum, Aunty Dot, Nan, Grandma was a very caring person and she showed this through lots of love, plenty of laughter, a wicked sense of humor, a mischievous smile and warm open arms. And judging from the nodding heads I see in front of me, it seems that many of you agree.

EARLY LIFE

DOROTHY MAY ROLSTON was born DOROTHY MAY HALL on 12^TH September 1949 in HAMILTON. She was the first child of FRED HALL and IRIS HALL. They lived in Swansea and later moved to Windale and Islington.

Dot was big sister to younger siblings Bill, Chris, Denise, Barbara, Ian, Wayne, Neil and Sheralee.

SCHOOLING AND WORK

Dot went to school in Windale, Islington and then Singleton High School, graduating with an ¡®Intermediate Certificate¡¯ in 1964. She then went on to work within the nursing profession. Dot also worked as a Clerical Assistant Grade 1 in the Australian Pubic Service, and later as a Wards Maid. This was the job that lead to her decision to study and re-enter the nursing profession as an Enrolled Nurse at the Stockton Centre.   

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY

In 1967 Dot moved to Darwin. The following year Dot married David Rolston and together they had 2 beautiful daughters, Michelle and Katrina. Dot and David later divorced but still remained  friends.

A long term relationship with significant other Peter Rowe unfolded with her involvement in the Newcastle City Football Club – her extended family.

Two son-in-laws joined Dot¡¯s family, with the marriage of Michelle to Ian and the marriage of Katrina to Grahame.

Dot has 2 gorgeous granddaughters, Natalie and Jessica, and 3 adorable great-granddaughters, Maddaline, Siona and Stella¡¦ and great-grandchild No.4 on the way.

HOBBIES AND INTERESTS 

From around 1980, for a decade or so, Dot was actively involved in the Newcastle City Football Club. She devoted many hours to various committee positions held, and to the club in general. She was well known for her dedication and loyalty to the club.

In earlier days Dot enjoyed Tenpin Bowling with Peter, her sister Barb and her husband Mal, cousin Ann and daughter Michelle¡¦ and was deservedly awarded her 200 pin!  What a great achievement.  Something her brother Bill is quite envious of.

Dot was well known for her enjoyment of reading, sewing, jigsaw puzzles, bingo, board games such as yahtzee, and especially scrabble and pol-economy (more on these 2 gems a little later). She loved cribbage, canasta, aggravation, 52 pick-up and card nights in general.

More recently Dot loved learning about her ancestry and tracing the family tree, using the internet, which lead to her enjoyment of computer games and keeping in touch with family and friends via Facebook.

Dot also dedicated a lot of her time to her love and enjoyment of scrapbooking with family and friends.  

TRAVEL 

Holidays with family and friends gave Dot wonderful local and  interstate travel experiences to Queensland, Victoria, Northern Territory and Tasmania.

Dot enjoyed holidays cruising the Asia Pacific several times with cousin Ann & her husband John, and cousin Jan-et.  

WE REMEMBER

What do we remember most about Dot?

There are so many good memories. Her infectious laugh, witty humor, she was never wrong, her stubbornness, her enjoyment for life and her love for her family.  

Bill remembers, being thrown in the creek as Dot was really  annoyed with missing so much school because he gave her the measles, chicken pox and the mumps in a short period of time.

Chris¡¯s earliest memory of Dot is, standing on an old cast iron bath tub at Nana Hall¡¯s house at Islington, hanging over the fence watching the old steam and coal trains going past.

Ian and Dot always found time for an in depth discussion and a good laugh.

Wayne remembers, the first time Dot taught him 52 pick-up and not realizing it involved him picking up a full deck of cards from the floor.

A vivid memory for Neil is, Dot¡¯s ability to produce unique words in Scrabble such as bil-ig-a-bol-og-omy.

And I, will always remember how Dot was supportive, and made sure, if she could, she could be present at significant events in my life.

Natalie and Jessica remember, how she always gave everyone a fair go, made an effort to know everyone and forgave everyone no matter how bad something was ... she was just the best nan ... And they will always remember calling her ¡®salt n pepper¡¯, but really, she was their salt n pepper.

And of course Dot would be disappointed, if we didn¡¯t mention pol-economy, a family board game, we are not sure how the turmoil started, it was something regarding family members who shall remain nameless, the rules, enjoyment, hatred, TAXES and POLITICS, and Dot banning it for life.  

As we reflect, we must remember, how Dot survived 3 major disasters in her life. 2 being natural the other domestic¡¦

in 1974 there was Cyclone Tracey, in 1989 the Newcastle Earthquake and in 1982 the Maryville kitchen fire. Picture this, freshly painted walls, hot oil, a board game, 2 metre flames, fire brigade and Dot screaming ¡°Oh my goodness the chips¡¯.

We remember with respect, Barbara, who lost her battle with cancer, less than 4 years ago, and we find comfort in knowing these 2 fun-loving sisters are together once again.

Dot was a remarkable person. She was a person of great character and love, especially towards her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

In closing, on behalf of Dot¡¯s family I wish to thank the staff at the Calvary Mater Hospital for their care and compassion for Dot and family in her final days. And a special thank you, to cousin Ann (who was like a sister to Dot) and her husband John for their endless support, care and love for Dot.  

Dot, we thank you for being part of our lives.

We are all going to miss you.

Goodbyes are not forever.
Goodbyes are not the end.
They simply mean I`ll miss you
Until we meet again! ¢¾ ¢¾

in our hearts always

Karen and Family XXXXX

21/6/2011

Well Mum...

Honestly... what can I say except for this is so dejavu all over, as we sit here once again to say goodbye to someone who was such a huge part of our lives and who deep down we all loved so dearly no matter what the circumstances were.

You were a fun loving person while we were growing up except if we had severely pissed you off and boy didn’t we have hell to pay for it later on.

I remember 1 of your favourite sayings being “DO AS I SAY NOT AS I DO” well sorry mum but I hate to say this, we didn’t pay much attention to you as usual cause we always DID WHAT YOU DID AND DIDNT LISTEN TO WHAT YOU SAID 

I know at times we have had our ups and downs (n boy didn’t we have a few of those over the years) but no matter what, you have always been there for me whenever I have needed you n we certainly did need you at times, you where there for us through thick & thin. There have been plenty of times I have come running to you with my problems but no matter what they were you have never turned your back on me for which I’m eternally grateful.  

I remember when I found out I was pregnant I was dreading telling you n dad cause I thought you would kill me but instead you stood by and helped me out so much with everything especially when I had Nat you insisted on being in there with me which was just as well cause you were a tower of strength to Ian n I, and when Jess came along again you insisted on being there to help again but you arrived too late because she was too impatient to wait.

I know Nat n Jess meant the world to you n there was nothing you wouldn’t do for them n I know when they were little and whenever you went mad at them they were devastated with you for raising your voice at them.

When Nat n Jess fell pregnant within 5 months of each other you were so excited about being a great grandmother, not once but twice within the same year and my god some of the names you were choosing for Maddy & Siona to call you were so ridiculous just because you didn’t want to be called granny, 1 of the names you choose was GEE-GEE and Nat & Jess kept calling you G-BANGER so thankfully in the end you choose GRAN-MAMA.

It was nothing for the girls to ring you and ask you to have your great granddaughters and unless you were in severe pain you would have them. Those little girls loved going to your place n you would teach them how to garden, you even brought them little gardening tools n their own little gardening gloves.

You so enjoyed family picnics and always wanted us to do the traditional Australia Day with you which over the years have become a big tradition with us which you have passed your love of it onto your granddaughters.

n what can we say about The Real McCoy we had never heard of this and it wasn’t until I went into a shop and low n behold here was this huge stand with various sizes n flavours of The Real McCoy CHIPS but mum I hate to tell you the original is heaps better

We will all miss you so much but at least we have some brilliant and funny memories of you that we will cherish always and whenever there is a thunder storm of any sort we will be telling your great grandchildren that it is you up there chucking a temper tantrum.

When you were in hospital 1 of the last things you said to me was “smile Chelle, everything will be alright” well Mum for you it is alright because now you are finally at peace with no pain and no more feeling guilty because you survived breast cancer and Aunty Barb didn’t and as hard as it was to let you go at least we got to say goodbye to you. 

So Mum may you Rest In Peace, as you are finally with your beloved family and friends that have gone before you.

We Love you Mum and thanks for being a great part of our lives

Love you always

 Michelle & Ian,

Nat, Brendan & Siona

Jess, Johno, Maddy & Stella

Dailey Family Funerals

122 Elder Street Lambton 2299 Ph 02 4956 4221