My Mum

Miriam's obituary

17th March, 2012

Thank you, everyone, for coming to respect our mother on the sad occasion of her passing.

Although many of you knew her, very few of you knew my mother’s story.

This is my view on the story of the life of my mother, Miriam Adele Meinrath.

My mum’s life was one of struggle, hardship, and determination.

78 years ago, she was the second child born to Solomon and Violet Emden in Wellington, New Zealand. Mum’s elder sister Dolores was named after Dolores del Rio, a star of Hollywood films of the silent era, and it was clear Miriam’s parents had ambitions for her in the theatre. By the age of 5 she was already singing, dancing and acting on the stage and had received critical acclaim in the press. Mum’s theatre agent recommended that she should move to Australia to further her acting career. Her mother and father then emigrated here with their two little girls. Miriam’s career flourished and she got more breaks within the entertainment industry.

Within two short years though, the dream fell apart. Solomon and Violet were running a General store in Sydney and Solomon suffered a heart attack that killed him immediately. As a single mother with two small children Violet felt compelled to return to the security of her family in New Zealand. Regrettably, this move was doomed to failure, as Violet, a strong and independent woman felt stifled living under the same roof as her brother and sister-in-law. Violet decided to return to Sydney and raise the children by herself. The voyage across the Tasman was frightening. It was the middle of WWII and a German U-Boat trailed them across the Tasman, almost to Sydney Heads.

Arriving in Sydney alone and with no financial support, Violet set up home for herself and the two little girls in a private garage - all they could afford. Running water, cooking facilities and toilets were a problem, but Violet struggled on. She managed to support herself and the girls, and ran one little general store after another in various suburbs around Sydney including Mortlake and a number of different stores in Paddington. The girls thrived. Dolores married, and Miriam graduated Form 3 at the new Dover Heights Girls Domestic High School.

Shortly after graduating, Miriam was apprenticed as a dressmaker at Saks Exclusive Dressmakers, specializing in high class couture. She was very highly skilled and her work was intricate

Meeting Hilton at the age of 17 at dance at “The Macc”, the meeting place for most of the young Sydney Jewish community in the 50’s, she was swept off her feet - and 4 years later she married her Prince Charming. Naturally Miriam made the gowns for her entire bridal party, including her own dress, a heavily beaded and sequined gown. The designs were made by sketching gowns she had her girlfriends model in upper class bridal stores in the city, and then translating them into her own designs.

Miriam and Hilton set up home in a flat in Petersham in Sydney’s inner West where Nigel, Aviva and Geoffrey spent their early years. Mum was a terrific homemaker. She made many of her childrens’ clothes and was an accomplished cook. She was a member of the National Council of Jewish Women and the Sorels, a group for Jewish Women, where she met many of her lifelong friends.

In 1968, Mum and Dad took advantage of a job opportunity in Melbourne, and  the family relocated to Elwood in Victoria.

By chance, we had moved into the same street as Rabbi Chaim Gutnick and his family, and he and Dad became good friends. I won a scholarship to Yeshivah College and I and my two younger siblings began our Jewish education. Mum and Dad embarked on a journey of Yiddishkeit.

In the early years in Melbourne Mum started work again as a seamstress, but wanting greater opportunities and challenges, She embarked on a career in the Navy at the Australian Defence Force. Slowly but surely, Mum advanced her career, but eventually found her way blocked as her educational qualifications were not sufficient.

I married Sarah in 1976. At the same time Mum decided to upgrade her education. She commenced her Matriculation studies, and shortly after hearing that Sarah was pregnant with Yoni who is her first grandchild, mum announced that she was also pregnant with her 4^th child, Shimon. This news was topped off by her successful matriculation a few weeks before giving birth to him.

Mum went back to work, and within a few short years, her daughter Aviva and then her son Geoffrey were married. Many grandchildren and great happiness followed, but so did tragedy.

In January 1995, my parents were returning to Melbourne after spending time in Sydney visiting family and celebrating the 60^th Birthday of my Uncle Raymond. Tragically Mum & Dad were involved in a massive collision with a semi trailer in the early hours of the morning while only 2 hours from Melbourne. Both of them were so seriously injured that after the “jaws of life” cut them out of their mangled car, they were flown separately to hospital on life support. They had both sustained many broken bones and punctures to their lungs. Thankfully, Dad recovered within a few months, but Mum’s injuries were far more serious and she remained on life support for a long time, only eventually recovering by a miracle. Along with many other injuries she sustained serious brain injuries. In the months and years that were to follow, she never gave up. Although mum had lost her memory she was determined to get better. Initially, she had to learn to talk again. She had to remember who all the members of her family were. She had to learn to read all over again. Her position at work was threatened, and the Department of Defence made it difficult for her to retire. She taught herself computer and admin skills again and worked voluntarily for the council, assisting others in the community.

Eventually, due to retrenchments at her work, mum transferred to working for the Commonwealth Employment Office where she was employed for a few more years before eventually being able to retire.

At last, my mother was able to enjoy her life, and she took every opportunity to see her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who she loved dearly.

She took every opportunity she could to visit Sydney to see her family there. She started to travel a little and with the help and encouragement of Shimon, she and Dad holidayed in Europe and Israel for the first time.

Mum and Dad enjoyed a cruise and visit to the U.S. and they took a number of trips within Australia, meeting up with friends and acquaintances from their younger days.

Regrettably, a year ago, Mum found out that she had a serious cancer that gave her little chance of survival beyond three months. Miraculously, she fought and survived another 14 months until one week ago when it was discovered that the cancer had returned again. This time it was relentless.

On Shabbos morning we lost our dear mother, Miriam bat Shlomo Yehuda.

She was adored by her family and was the glue that held us together.

She was a wife, mother & mother in law of four children and their spouses, grandmother to 17 and great grandmother to 10.

In all, 15 of her closest family were with her as she passed away peacefully, and we felt so lucky that we were able to say our goodbyes to her.

Her grand-daughters, Dvora and Jordana who are overseas in Canada and Israel, sent their love to their nanna.

Mum had a special gift of making everyone in the family always feel as though they were her special person. She made everyone feel loved and in return was so loved and cherished by all her family.

 The loss of my mother will create a hole in our hearts that will never be filled.

Mum was the most patient, gentle person that we have ever known. She had a special insight and determination, and she was the rock in our lives.

We will miss her forever.