By GARY FRY
OBITUARY: Marjorie Humphrey
BORN at Tenterfield on February 15, 1924, Marjorie Laing was the eldest daughter of Charles Laing and his wife Bertha (nee Sattler), and sister of Betty and Nanette.
Their father was the manager of the Tenterfield Butter Factory and their mother was very actively involved in community work. They were pillars of the local Catholic Church.
After her early education in Tenterfield, Marjorie was a boarder at St Joseph’s Convent in Glen Innes. She was working as a legal secretary in Tenterfield when she was courted by Bill (William Alexander) Humphrey.
Bill had been a prisoner-of-war of the Japanese for almost four years during World War II, survived and returned home to Tenterfield to resume his career as a builder.
Marjorie and Bill were married at the Catholic Church at Tenterfield, on 28 December, 1946.
Early in 1947 the newlyweds moved to Armidale, where they lived for almost 66 years. They had six children together: Ann, David, Jane, Christopher, Sally and Gillian.
Marjorie was very active in many community charitable works and was named Citizen of the Year by the Armidale Council in 1987.
A prominent Catholic, she was actively involved in inter-church activities, and had a great interest in current affairs and social-justice. Meanwhile, Bill continued his work as a builder, and built many houses in Armidale. Their own home was noted for its hospitality.
Marjorie died in Armidale on 27 August, aged 89, and is survived by Bill and their six children and their spouses Ann and Ian, David and Christine, Jane and Damien, Christopher and Kate, Sally and Ian, Gillian and Shane and their families, including many grandchildren and great grandchildren.
A large congregation gathered for the Requiem Mass in St Mary and Joseph’s Catholic Cathedral on Saturday, 31 August. Marjorie’s son Chris and daughter Sally, delivered the eulogy, describing her spirit of giving, strong sense of family and community. Friends described her as “truly a lady of the old school”.
Cathedral administrator Father Gleeson was the principal celebrant. The Mass was followed by a private cremation.
