It is with sadness to advise the passing of my uncle, Thomas Donald Hassall at age 94 ½
Tom was a 5th generation Hassall, AEJAD, the son of Rowland James Hassall and Elizabeth Wynne, the 4th born of 5 children from the James line.
Uncle Tom spend the majority of his childhood in various locations, as his father was a school teacher and headmaster. Tom studied agriculture at Longerenong College, and ultimately met his wife Hazel Turrell whose family farm was a close neighbour of the Wynne’s at Boyeo, near Nhill in Western Victoria.
After marrying Hazel, Tom managed the Turrell farm as well as the Wynne property, where they mostly farmed wheat and sheep. As time passed Tom gradually added various adjoining properties to the family holdings.
Tom and Hazel are survived by their six children, Brendan, Marea, Jan, Michael, Chris and Katrina as well as his only surviving sister Barbara Carey.
The Hassall farms at Boyeo hold a very special place in the hearts of the dozens of cousins who spent the majority of school holidays visiting grandma and uncle Tom, and experiencing the excitement of country life. The holidays were filled with trapping or shooting rabbits, catching yabbies, driving the tractor or paddock bomb whilst underaged, learning to ride horses and often assisting with the harvest and general farm work.
Tom and Hazel’s house was always the hive of activity, where numerous ‘ring-in’s’ frequently stayed for long periods of time. Hazel was the master of whipping up a feast to feed the masses at short notice, and they hosted memorable impromptu parties. On occasions, Hazel was known to ride the Shetland pony through the house with a wine cast refilling empty glasses.
Uncle Tom was extremely hard working and generous, and respected by long standing neighbours, a myriad of friends and family. His legacy will leave a void in our lives as we reflect on the wonderful holidays the cousins spent at Nhill.
by John J Hassall
Comentarios