Double celebrations for Jacqui’s birthday

When the occasion of Jacqui Warnock’s 70th birthday arrived on May 15, the Warnock family rallied around to organise a celebratory luncheon on a beautiful sunny day in the lovely garden setting of Jack and Jacqui’s home, ‘Warilea’, Narrabri.

Forty guests joined Jacqui to celebrate the occasion.

Son Brendon and his wife Bec, son Adam Warnock, daughter Elizabeth and son-in-law Nick Bradley, and daughter Julia and son-in-law Ben Carroll attended along with friends of the family.

Adam, Elizabeth and Nick, and Julia and Ben travelled from Sydney for the celebrations. Unfortunately, Adam’s wife Rachel was unable to attend.

Jacqui was delighted to have her seven grandchildren with her on the day, Ryan, Zara and Connor Warnock who live in Narrabri, Amelia and Hugo Warnock from Sydney and Heidi Bradley and Aurora Carroll from Sydney.

Former Narrabri residents and long-time friends Barb Wheeler (Colless) travelled from Engadine, and Alison Park travelled from Toowoomba to attend the party.

Jack thanked everyone for joining them in their celebrations, especially those who had travelled a distance to be there.

“I have been very fortunate to have Jacqui in my life for nearly 48 years.

“There is no doubt that Jacqui has played a huge part in everything that has happened to us over this time,” he said.

“That we have enjoyed a degree of success is due to Jacqui’s support and encouragement.

“Jacqui’s greatest achievement has no doubt been nurturing our children, and more recently our seven grandchildren”.

This was followed by an entertaining speech presented by Jacqui’s twin daughters, Elizabeth and Julia, titled ‘As Mum Would Say’.

This speech regaled all the times Jacqui likes to quote her own mother’s wisdom in dealing with life’s experiences, to the amusement of the guests.

Barb Wheeler spoke on behalf of Jacqui’s friends with a moving speech about enduring friendships over many years.

Long-time friend and ‘partner in rhyme’ Max Pringle recited a poem for Jacqui.

Jacqui responded to the speeches and poems with her own poem, which included:

“I’m so happy you came to cheer me today
‘cause you’re all dear to me in some special way.
To have family and friends is a gift in itself
food, wine and sunshine and thankful good health.
As my brother Rob said, what in life you most need,
is people to care for so one can succeed.
Rob drove with me from Sydney when I moved to Moree
one hot Sunday arvo in February,
forty-eight years ago, I came to the north-west,
and life in between, how could I have guessed?”

Jacqui concluded with one of her favourite sayings ‘Cherish Yesterday, Dream Tomorrow, Live Today’.

The luncheon was catered for by Jacqui, Elizabeth and Julia along with daughters-in-law Bec Warnock and Rachel Gleeson.

Jacqui made her own cake, and some beautiful slices were brought along by Georgie Carrigan.

Jacqui said: “It was a lovely party, guests chatted until late in the afternoon and the children enjoyed climbing trees and kite flying.

“I loved it, it was a very happy occasion”.

One week later, on May 21, a second luncheon was hosted by Georgie Murray at her home ‘Bethungra’, to celebrate the birthdays of Jacqui and Diane Freeman.

Having 70th birthdays so close together and Diane and Jacqui having been friends for more than 40 years, it was fitting to combine the two celebrations.

Twenty long-time friends and part of a group of friends affectionately known as ‘The Belles’ attended.

This name is short for ‘Bethungra Belles’, a fitness and friendship group so named when the women started playing tennis at Jack and Georgie Murray’s ‘Bethungra’ property in 1994.

The group has kept these connections going to this day.

A delicious meal catered for by Relish was enjoyed.

Former local residents Gail Eulenstein and Maree Tann travelled from Toowoomba and Inverell respectively for the celebrations.

The lovely birthday cake, made by Janice Smith was a gift from Helen Southwell.

Pat Norrie wrote a poem for the occasion which concluded with the stanza:

“Thank you for the memories, We have shared till this day; It’s for Jacqui and Di; We are all here to say Happy 70th Birthday – Cheers!”