Goldie... sad news

To Carl and all members,

my mum (Goldie) Pauline Leah Brown sadly passed away on 27th of June after a 6 month battle with cancer. I'm her only child and my name is Nick. I'm a priest of the Greek Orthodox Church and happily married with 3 boys.

I just wanted to let you all know that she absolutely loved Carl, the admin and members and especially contributing to this forum. We are still coming to terms with her loss.

Thank you for all of your messages of support and happy birthday wishes (she just missed it by a month).

Mum went very peacefully, and I conducted the service along with six other priests at my church in Mt Gravatt, Brisbane. We buried her at the Mt Gravatt cemetery where she rests as she she wished - on a hill under a tree! If u get a chance, drop by and say hello.

I'm including a copy of her eulogy below as well as a link to a photo of her and I. If you need to contact me my email is papanikola@hotmail.com



Cheers and kindest regards

Fr Nick & family

https://servimg.com/view/12779167/1


Pauline Leah Brown

Pauline Leah Brown was born in Wellington, New Zealand on the 26th of July 1951, the youngest of three children born to the late Bruce and Jean Flett. Sadly her mum passed away just 3 weeks ago, not knowing of Pauline’s illness. Pauline was also a much loved step daughter of the late Robert (Bob) Wilson.

Along with Brother Adrian and sister Brownyn, the family moved to Wanganui- a small coastal city 200kms north of Wellington in 1958 .
The children attended Queens Park and Aramoho primary schools, then
moving onto Wanganui High School.

After leaving school, Pauline worked as a Pharmacy assistant in “Boots”
Chemist until 1970, and went on to manage “Poynters" bookshop, just a few doors down along the Main street. While at “Boots”, Pauline learnt all about makeup and hair care, and would never leave home without her face on (Makeup). She was always immaculately dressed.

Little Nicky (now known as Father Nicholas) was born to her on the 6th of December 1972 in Wellington – her little bundle of joy.

Pauline and Nick moved to Cambridge in the Waikato region with her best friend, Nick’s aunty Angela Cameron (now Bezzant), and after a year or so she made the move across the Tasman and found her way to sunny Queensland in August 1976 where her life took on a totally different direction. As in her own words Pauline took on a job as a driving instructor “For the want of something better to do” and then went on to obtain her bus drivers license. She joined Light Street Bus Depot in March 1980 and proceeded to get 5 weeks training- hers extended to 6 weeks as the BCC bus drivers went on strike halfway through her training.

In 1982 Pauline trained as a Commonwealth games tour driver and in 1984 became a model for the new bus driver uniforms. June of that year she resigned from the buses and went interstate truck driving, but 12 months on, having seen most of Australia, and running out of fingernails through tying tarps, Pauline decided in July ‘85 to go back on the buses. Two weeks later, and after a 3 day refresher course, she was away again.
In September of 1991, thinking she was pretty good, she entered and won the “bus rodeo” Bus Operator of the year competition, and a month later she came 2nd in the National competion in Adelaide. In November 1991 Pauline was asked to represent BCC for the “Save the Children Fund” and “Skip a Lunch campaign promotion” as well as doing some TV and radio advertising work. In the middle of all this she also starred in the “Breath of Fresh Air” TV advertisement. The real reason for all of this, she said, was to “get out of real work” and have some fun.

1992 came and also another opportunity to get out of real work, and she drove Trams on the “City sights Tours” for 18 months. Eventually she got sick of driving around in circles and transferred to the new Garden City bus depot when it opened, and in 1993 she again won the Bus Rodeo coming 2nd again in the National competition in Adelaide. That had be a kick in the backside for the guys!! - beaten by a woman, not once, but twice!!

By ‘95 Pauline decided to be rather sporting and opted to go on the organizing team to “Give the guys a chance”, going on to coordinate the event which earned her a major “Lord Mayors Excellence Award” in 1998/1999…in her words - the financial incentive that went along with that was “Very Nice… Thank you”… Soorley, the Lord Mayor of the time, was a bit of a sore point- especially due to his overheard expletives concerning bus drivers.

Also, in 1995 Pauline became one of only 2 “Bus-user Safety” program presenters, and went around to schools in an endeavourer to teach the kids the correct way to behave on and around buses- they had a lot of fun especially with the children from special schools.

3rd of April 1996 Pauline got sick of being called a “Bloody Kiwi” so she became an Aussie Citizen with her son… the ‘Lobotomy’ was very painful she says.

Pauline was privileged to have been asked to drive the first ever bus on the new “Brisbane Busway”, with a load of Media folk, Politicians and Brisbane Transport staff – It was still being constructed at the time. In Pauline’s Words – “I’m sure there were dozens of things that I have done over the years that escape my memory at the moment, but I do know one thing… I can thank Brisbane Transport for the opportunity to do so many varied and interesting things. It’s been quite an experience and I have had a ball!

Eventually Pauline retired from bus driving, sold her house in Mt Gravatt East, and moved out to the country town of Laidley where she realized her life-long dream and purchased a federation style house and commenced renovations… she was always cursing about the lack of tradesmen in little country towns. But it was there that she found some really special friends,
Pauline was soon to enlist these friends to help with the renovations.
Building a large deck out back and new entery steps at the front, as well as many other projects.
One of the last major projects she completed was resurrecting the old Laidley Football Club and she managed the new players for their first year. She even managed to con Tommy Raudonikus, an old Laidley footy- boy, to come to their first presentation night!

Two of her very special friends came in the form of Jeanette and Betty who, as true friends do, were later to care for her throughout her illness,staying with her day and night,and especially there with her in her last days.

Her son Nick came to Laidley one day with (then) friend Maria and introductions were made. As soon as Maria left the room she whispered in Nick’s ear “she’s fantastic – you should get together with her”! Mum knows best!

Probably the biggest highlight for Pauline came on September the 10th 2006 with the wedding of her only son Nicholas to Maria, proud daughter of Fr Constantine & Presvytera Eleni Lentakis. Pauline had a smile wider than the Tasman Sea on her face for a very long time, and was a very proud and excited mum, as this marriage also came in the form of 3 instant and most-treasured grandsons she thought she would never get – Elias, Costa & Yianni. She became known as their beloved Nanna.

Her proud smile only became bigger, a short while later when son Nick become Father Nicholas, as Pauline watched with immense pride as her only son became ordained as a deacon & eventually priest in the Greek Orthodox Church.

After this, the energetic gardener that she was, set about totally revamping her new backyard and installing her fish pond and waterfall… of course with the help of that great band of friends. This was to be her last great feat.

She absolutely loved her home and garden, but most of all – she loved her son, new daughter-in-law Maria, and grandsons Elias, Costa & Yianni!

Unfortunately Pauline became unwell in January this year. At her request she was entered into the Orthodox faith in the Ipswich hospital by the hand of her own son, with her daughter-in-law Presvytera Maria as her proud sponsor.

She passed away peacefully at Mount Olivet Hospital on the 27th of June 2008.

A lot more can be said about this amazing woman, but to all here today one thing is true:

When she walked in the room, it lit up…

…now that she enters heaven- she lights up the sky!

REST IN PEACE PAULINE!

Pauline (Goldie...)

It breaks my heart to hear of your passing. I am completely lost for words...
I don't believe you have to meet someone to determine what kind of person they are. I didn't have to meet you Goldie to know that you were a friendly, loving, funny, kind-hearted person. This forum will not be the same without you...thank you for your friendship and all your hard work to make this a special place for us all. I will miss you...

FOOTPRINTS...

One night I had a dream--
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord
and across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints,
one belonged to me and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest
and saddest times in my life.
This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you would walk with me all the way,
but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints.
"I don't understand why in times when I needed you most,
you should leave me."
The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child,
I love you and I would never, never leave you
during your times of trial and suffering.
"When you saw only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."

...Mary Stevenson

Rest in peace Goldie xxxxx

MY DEEPEST SYMPATHY......

GOLDIE....YOU ARE TRULY AN ANGEL.....LOVE

REST IN PEACE NOW, LOVE....I WILL SURELY MISS YOU HEAPS...

MY HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO PAULINE'S (GOLDIE) FAMILY...

Dearest Goldie... I wish you were here so that I could tell you what your friendship has meant to me over the short time that we knew each other.... When we met online over on the Idol forums where all the fun began and over the months we had so many laughs and shared so much through our mutual love of Carl... and then you started this beautiful forum where we could all be together and I had so much fun with you trying to set the forum up... lots of giggles and laughs and late night messaging and shared headaches!!! I'll never forget it dearest Goldie... but who would have thought our time together was going to be so short... I'm so happy and so privileged that I got to know you... We will all miss you terribly and will never forget you.... I hope one day if I manage to get to Brisbane that I will be able to come and visit you and sit under your tree with you for a while... I'll bring along a Carl cd and we can listen to it together!!!! Love to you goldie...

Thank you so much Nick for coming on here and letting us know and sharing part of Pauline's life with us... And what an amazing life she had!!!!! My thoughts and prayers go to you and your family....






“Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.”

Thank you so much Nick for coming here and sharing this terribly sad news with us all here.... it is greatly appreciated as she meant so much to us and we were all so anxious and so worried about her... Thank you for sharing her life with us... there was so much we didn't know about her... all her amazing achievements and how brave she was!!! She was truly a very special and wonderful person.... I love the photo of you and your mum together!! Thanks again Nick.... There is another thread where we are saying our goodbyes to our dear Goldie which you might like to read if you come back to visit us.....

https://carlriseley.forumotion.com/messages-for-carl-f22/sad-news-about-goldie-t539.htm#6324

Thank you so much Nick for thinking of coming onto this forum to tell us all about your darling Mum.
You must be so proud of her. Your eulogy was wonderful and I'm sure she would've been proud of your lovely, heartfelt tribute. It was so good, to read about Pauline's full and positive life; and her can-do spirit.
It must have given you great peace that she became part of your faith...
I'm just so shocked and distressed by this awful news. We only knew your Mum online, through her affection for Carl. However, her work to set up this site was tireless and full of joy. She gave so many of us an enormous amount of pleasure. We were given a "home" where we could talk about Carl and his progress; and we were given Goldie's love and friendship and help; and we were given so many wonderful friends and moments to cherish, all because of your Mum.
One of my own little memories of Pauline was on a thread here called "I love cricket". We had been speaking of the incident in Australian/NZ cricket, when Greg Chappell made his brother bowl an infamous underarm delivery, just to win the game. Goldie knew of this incident and came online, even though she wasn't a cricket buff, to tell us her memories of that event; and to let us know she still had the t-shirt, which read, "Aussies Bowl Underarm"!! She said it brought back memories of old times in NZ...it was a tiny treasure.
Nick, to you and Maria, to Elias, Costa and Yianni, my heart goes out to you all. Your darling Mum has touched more people than you can imagine; and she has not only left us with this wonderful site to enjoy, but with so many memories of the joyous, fun-loving, bright woman she was.
We were blessed to know your Mum, Nick.
Godspeed Goldie; and may you rest in peace. I know you'll be held close, protected in the hearts of all who loved and admired you...

to dear nick and family,
i am so sorry about the loss of your mother pauline (goldie).
she was such a lovely lady and mentor to us younger carl fans she was always a motherly figure to us and a shoulder for us to cry on when times were tough for us and always gave us a message to lift our spirits in our low times. i could not thank her enough for the time she took to create this marvellous forum to carl, it will be a legacy that she has left as a tribute to her's and our dedication to her final idol carl.
i lost my father in 2002 at only 46 years of age so i understand it is hard to lose soomeone so soon and although it's hard at the time you relise in time that they are indeed in a better place.
my prayers are with you all.

p.s nick please drop in from time to time and don't be a stranger to the friends your mother created in her declineing months as we would really love to get to know you.
take care.

laceyface just messaged me on facebook and said she's sorry to hear about goldie and to pass on her sympathy.
also she said sorry she hasn't been on the forum for a while.

Dear Nick,

Please accept my sincere condolences on the passing of your mother, Pauline. My heart is truly saddened to hear of your loss.

Thank you for posting Pauline's eulogy and photo. It was lovely to read more about her and her life.

Although I never met your mum, Pauline (Goldie), we shared in lots of good times and laughter supporting Carl Riseley, both here and on the old idol forum. We will be forever grateful to her for creating this forum - it is a place for enduring friendships and Goldie will never be forgotten.

With deep sympathy,

Cheryl.

Dear Nick

I was very saddened to hear of the loss of your beautiful mother Pauline, we all loved her here on this forum and she will be greatly missed by us all. Please accept my sincere condolences to yourself and your family.


Take care

Yvonne

Our Goldie seemed to be a person who enjoyed life to the fullest and made the most of every single day - and while I was very upset and extremely sad to hear about her passing, I feel that she really celebrated life and that reflected in the way we all interacted with her and each other on this beautiful forum she created. Goldie and I were two of the more 'mature' members of the forum and I feel as though I really need to start enjoying life myself again and Goldie has inspired me to start looking at things a little differently! Thank you Goldie! And many thanks to you Nick for the heartfelt words about your mum - rest assured she will be very fondly remembered here on her wonderful forum.

You will be missed immensley.
Although we never really spoke i just am speechless to this.
I am so glad you enjoyed like to the fullest and made every day special.
Thankyou so much for everything youve done Goldie.

My journal/personal experienced with our beloved Goldie.....

Like I said to Ange, I'm one of those people who's lost for words in times like this.....it even occurred to my mind at one instance that I should probably give this forum 'a rest' after what happened, but i know that's not what Goldie wants.....and there's just so much goodness about Goldie that I just can't keep it to myself.....

I remember the very day when Goldie and I made that instant rapport when I told her my real name and she asked, "you're not a greek are you?" and I replied, "and why is that Goldie?"....."'cause you have the same name as my daughter-in-law, Maria..."...."oh really? and check this out Golds....my daughter's name is... guess what?....it's Pauline too" and it's her turned to say...."oh really?....I bet she's a good sweet girl too, just like me"....."you bet she is Goldie."

Goldie's sense of humour never fades out regardless.....you can just feel that she loves life and can be fun to be with even just thru here at forum or thru PM's, e-mails or phone calls......but Goldie is forgiving too....I recall our petty misunderstanding about posting Carl's photos from his Brisbane City Hall-Gala concert and that was my 'bad', and said sorry to her and she forgave my carelessness instantly and with utmost sincerity.....

The last time I talked to Goldie was when she told me she can't make it to Carl's concert at The Troubadour.....my heart sank.....and really tried to still convince her to come even though I knew that she just made that secret phone call from hospital and slipped out of her bed to talk to me in private (oh God she must probably felt weak that day and I still had to talk too much to her on coming to concert and kept her on the phone for awhile) but her voice was still full of enthusiasm in spite of.....full of enthusiasm that one (like me) can think..."oh she's still all alright......she still can come"......or perhaps it's just me who refuse to accept and is in denial that someday somehow everything will be back to normal for her and that she will be here again soon......we had a good plan for that day (the concert), you know, that we have to meet at Sofitel Hotel and have dinner there before heading to Carl's concert, as we would like it to be 'a night to remember' for both of us and she even suggested that we're going to have a couple of drinks and have fun afterwards, and i even had fun telling her what i'm gonna wear - like if it's a yellow scarf/bag it's my daughters' but if it's white then it's mine and if i'm going to have a 'bad hair day' i'm just gonna wear a wig.....and i told her that i'm gonna give her a big hug when i see her.........but before that she even wants to pick me up on the way, because i told her that it would be easier for me if i will just take a cab to the venue as it's not very far from where i live, but she insisted that she will pick me up as she doesn't like the idea of me in a cab all by myself (as my sis in law was still undecided to come or not at that time).....the sweetness, thoughtfulness, care and concern from this woman is beyond me, just melted my heart and reduced me to tears...really like a real mother to us all....the sense of responsibility is such enormous....she will surely put others first before herself even despite her predicament and for that I asked her if she will give me the honour to introduce her to Carl at The Troubadour, and she said 'yes'.....but then again.....oh Goldie.....
....and there were times that we talked about seriousness of life in general, and both of us just felt melancholy especially when i told her about my husband's fate and this was what she said to me: "There were times I wonder why the world is so cruel to some and yet others aren't touched at all! Some say it is to make the people involved, stronger, I guess there must be a reason that we no doubt will never know..."

Goldie wherever you are love.....i miss you....and would like to share this song to you, it's from Cat Steven -

'Morning Has Broken'

Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for the springing fresh from the word

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day

Rest in Peace now love....

I am so sorry to hear this dreadful news.
My heart goes out to you and your family.
RIP GOLDIE
xoxo

Just to let everyone know, I've moved amanda's lovely poem and Goldie's sons thread up to the Welcome thread as a sticky... I wasn't sure where to put it but after a couple of suggestions, that seemed the best place for it to go so that new members will be able to read about Goldie when they first come here...