Mums Tribute Copy

8/14/2019 Mums Tribute Copy

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Marjorie Claudine Savage5 December 1916 - 5 December 2008


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Marjorie Claudine Savage(nee Leutchford)(Marj)

This is a brief account of your lifea remarkable tribute to:caring, love and survival.


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You were born on December 5, 1916, as the adoredonly child of Jesse Elizabeth Leutchford and WilliamJames Leutchford, an optometrist.


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You first lived at 76 Eccles Road, Battersea, London




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Your father loved you dearly and composed songsfor you including The Flowers that Bloom in Spring.

Sadly your father passed away in 1919, frompneumonia developed in the trenches during WWI.

William James Leutchford, front row left


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Following your fathers death you moved to live withyour grandparents in St James Close, Battersea

Park, where you met your lifelong friend Louie.



Louie and Marj at Battersea Park 1995


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You spent 7 happy years as the beloved child in thehappy extended MacKenzie household. You also hadregular contact with your fathers family includingUncle Claude (your middle namesake) & Aunt Shilly.

Claude Leutchford


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In 1926 you emigrated to Australia with your mother for a better climate to improve your health. It was a 3

month journey travelling by ship with two of your uncles, Ron and Hec and Aunt Eadie (Mackenzie).

Over the years you maintained an exceptional

memory of this journey, recounting many storiesone of which was not being allowed to disembark atPort Said for fear of abduction by white slave traders.


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Life was not always easy when you settled in Australia and youlater spoke of being teased about your English accent and tryingvery hard to make it an Aussie onewhich many may say wasachieved!

Initially your mother worked as a dressmaker to support you and

later, having a very good business head, she soon startedacquiring real estate property that could bring in rental income.

By all accounts your mother was a bit of a wag who developedan interest in dog racing and trotting.

After a couple of years your mother met Mr Nassau and they

had two boys, your brothers Teddy and Jack, whom you loveddearly and helped raise from a young age.


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Brothers Ted (with son Alan) and Jack (deceased) and your mother Jesse witha friend in a postcard from England asking if she looks like Clara Butt, afamous English opera singer.


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When you were 15 you started work in the book binding industryat Smith & Co where you met your good friend Edna Burghoffer,

whom you were later to be a bridesmaid for.

Marjorie, bridesmaid, on far left


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Not long after you met a young man named Walter Raleigh Savage (Roley) through his sister Gladys.Following a two year courtship you married in 1936


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You became great friends with the Savage family,enjoying the company of mother Ellen (left) and thebrothers and sisters with their Irish sense of fun.

Some of the Savage men hamming it up Betty, Sadie, Gladys and Marjorie


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Your first child Wally was born in 1937.

Sadly your mother Jesse did not live to see her other

grandchildren as she died in 1939, aged 43, followinga battle with breast cancer. As a young woman, you bore a huge burden during

this time: nursing your mother and raising Wally andyour two young brothers.but you did not complain.


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In 1940 your first beautiful daughter, Beverley, wasborn & a happy family life was developing .

Walter, Wally and Marj with BeverleyWally & Beverley with a messagefor Uncle Joe, while away at war

Beverley


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Sadly your next child, a beautiful boy named Tommy, died as a babyaged 18 months after contracting Meningitis.

We know this broke your heart and you took a long time to recover.but you endured and had the strength to raise three more beautifulgirls:

June Roslyn Robyn




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Life at 43 Beaconsfield Street, Bexley, the family home for over 30years, was never dull. You cleaned the house without the assistance of modern gadgets and spent Saturdays baking cakes and pastries for the

week. You were a great cook winning a prize for this when you were atschoolyour curries, stews and soups were up there with the best.

When money got very tight you still somehow managed to feed all thekids with no-one ever going hungry and all maintaining good health. Itwas said that you managed to live off the smell of an oily rag

You had many dear neighbours including Mrs Cranston whom you andeach of your children were close to over many years.

You also cared for a menagerie of pets in your time including chooks,cats and many dogs (mostly strays brought home by the kids!).

There were many others who called you mum, including Ron Murraywho along with your brother Ted gave great support when it was mostneeded.


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You never forgot your relatives in England and were thrilled tobe reunited with some of them in 1995 when at 79 years of ageyou travelled (this time by plane!) to the UK and visited your Auntie Violet (Mackenzie) and her son Roger and his family.You also caught up with your friend Louie after 70 years.

Marj and Auntie Violet (aged 91) in her garden in Crawley UK


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Always one for a good knees up and having fun there were many parties andcelebrations you attended over the years.

Enjoying the New Year fireworks from the Botanical Gardens this year aged 91


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In 2006 you celebrated your 90th birthday in style with many family

members and friends.

Marj with her children, Robyn, Ros, June, Val, Carole, Terry, Bev, and Wally


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Marj with cousin Dougie Mackenzie at her 90th party


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At last count you had 25 Grandchildren.


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45 great grand children and 10 great great grandchildrenwith more to come


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Marj, you have lived a good life and have been a trulycourageous, caring, resourceful and gracious personwhom we can all aspire to be like.

While you have many, your greatest legacy is all thechildren, grandchildren, great grandchildren and greatgreat grandchildren who survive you.

We will miss you sorely but will never forget you

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