Lily Marjorie Johnston was born on 20 May 1912 in Crow’s Nest, near
Toowoomba in Queensland. Her father was a farmer, Johann Ferdinand
Genrich who as a child had come to Australia from a small village in
West Prussia (which is now part of Poland). Mum’s mother was Amanda
Maria Trost.
Mum was the youngest of 8 children and the last surviving one.
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| Lily, with her pony 'Tiny' |
On a farm, everyone had to work, so as a young girl she had her own cows
to milk twice each day (and this was done by hand). She had a pony to
ride to school. That may sound cool but, if she came off the pony, she
had to catch it and then continue her journey. At an early age she was
competitive with her older brothers and sisters, and was often the first
to bring her cows in and have started milking them before the others
began.
She continued this hard work all through her life and, when in her 90’s she had to slow down, she was very disappointed.
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| At Queen Alexandra childrens home in Murgon |
Mum left school after grade 5. Later she worked in the Queen Alexandra
Orphanage for Children in Murgon, Queensland. This was where Mum was
able to show her great love for children that lasted all her life.
She was married in 1943 and then Mum and Dad were sent to Springsure
with the Presbyterian Church. Dad was accepted as a mature student at
the Emmanuel Presbyterian Theological College, and was appointed as a
Home Missionary at Bald Hills, in Brisbane. Ron was born there. Then Mum
and Dad were sent to Wilston, a near-by suburb, where I was born,
followed by Margaret. After Dad’s graduation we moved to Atherton, where
several new churches were opened.
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| Bathing Noel |
In 1955 we moved to Flemington Presbyterian Church in Melbourne. We
often joked that this meant we were now closer to Mum’s family around
Toowoomba. Australia is a big country. While there we had some chooks in
the back-yard, and a prolific vegetable garden.
In 1962 we moved to Batesford, with four preaching places. Mum was a
very hard worker, with the women and the children. Not only was there
Sunday School, but also Religious Education in the schools. When I had a
holiday job working in the Geelong Meatworks, I started the shift at 3
am. Mum would wake me at 2 am, and give me breakfast, so that I could
head off at 2:30 am. She always seemed to be the last to bed, and the
first up in the morning.
In 1968 Mum and Dad moved to Reservoir. While there Mum built up the
Kinder area of Sunday School through her hard work, visiting, and her
love for all the little children. After a few years of hard work and
prayer there were 80 children in the Kinder Department of the Sunday
School of 300 children. Fortunately they did not all come each Sunday
because there would not have been enough room for them. The women’s work
also prospered at Reservoir. Mum loved these little children, and they
loved her. They were so keen to come to Sunday School each week to see
Mrs Johnston.
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| Lily's kindergarten children at Reservoir |
After Union had occurred, the Presbyterian Church in South Australia had
no Presbyterian minister in all of Adelaide. Dad was still a young 67
so he felt called to Adelaide. Dad was responsible for 14 preaching
places there, and Mum worked very hard to establish Women’s groups in
each area, knowing that women are often the backbone of the church.
There were fewer children but Mum worked very hard in this area too.
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| 1980 |
Joy and I returned to Melbourne from America in 1978, and Mum and Dad
moved to the Frankston parish in 1979. They lived there for several
years, with Mum again working very hard with the congregations. Finally
Dad retired, but Mum kept on working in the house, the garden, and the
church. In her 90’s Mum was disappointed she could not do all the things
she wanted to. However, she was able to look after herself, and her
cat, in her home until almost 95.
As a girl, Mum was very fit and supple. We have a photo of her bending
over backwards to touch the ground. As she grew up she and her sisters
would sit together in the evening doing embroidery, or sewing clothes by
hand. Later, when she was given a Singer Sewing Machine as a Wedding
gift from the staff of the Queen Alexandra Orphanage she continued
sewing. Later the machine was electrified. I can remember in Atherton
she sewed cowboy clothes for us three children, and also a tent. Mum
loved cooking, and we remember her apple cakes, and apple crumbles,
where the apple did not come from a tin, but was washed, peeled, and
cut.
Mum had beautiful hair, and this was carefully held in place with a hair
net, as many of you will remember. One person told me they could always
recognise my mother from behind because of her hair. Her skin also kept
its youth. Perhaps this was because she and Dad were “greenies” well
before it became popular. Grated carrot and grated beetroot were common
salad ingredients. She was into growing her vegetables where possible,
and using whole-grain foods. If Dad had a diet fad, she would change her
cooking and preparing of meals to accommodate this. To save gas, after
boiling the water for a cup of tea in the morning, the rest of the hot
water went into a thermos to be used later. She would also wash out the
plastic bags in which fruit and vegetables came, hang them up to dry,
and then re-use them.
Mum did have a weakness, and that was chocolate. She was very sad one
day because the local doctor had her blood tested for cholesterol, and
it was high. He had gone through everything she ate, and they decided
that the one block of chocolate each week was too much, and she should
stop it! She was 85 at the time. I told her that there were very few
results of cholesterol for 85-year-olds. So, even if it did take a few
years off her life, she should eat as much chocolate as she wanted. That
is one reason we have chocolate here for the afternoon tea to remember
her, and celebrate her life!
One of our daughters has said that Grandma showed her love for people by
serving them. This she has done for virtually all of her life, until
the last few years when she was physically limited.
We were so glad to celebrate Mum’s 99th Birthday this past May. We gave
her a box of chocolates, and that kept her going for the two hours of
the party.
Her great-grandchildren helped blow out the candles.
Mum was loved and respected by everyone who knew her. Now she is with
the Lord Jesus Christ Who she served so faithfully. We thank God for the
life she lived before us, and for everything she means to us. We miss
her very much. We can imagine Jesus saying to her, “Well done, good and
faithful servant: …enter into the joy of your Lord.” (Matt. 25:21)
Mum was the youngest of 8 children and the last surviving one.
She was married in 1943 and then Mum and Dad were sent to Springsure
with the Presbyterian Church. Dad was accepted as a mature student at
the Emmanuel Presbyterian Theological College, and was appointed as a
Home Missionary at Bald Hills, in Brisbane. Ron was born there. Then Mum
and Dad were sent to Wilston, a near-by suburb, where I was born,
followed by Margaret. After Dad’s graduation we moved to Atherton, where
several new churches were opened.
In 1962 we moved to Batesford, with four preaching places. Mum was a
very hard worker, with the women and the children. Not only was there
Sunday School, but also Religious Education in the schools. When I had a
holiday job working in the Geelong Meatworks, I started the shift at 3
am. Mum would wake me at 2 am, and give me breakfast, so that I could
head off at 2:30 am. She always seemed to be the last to bed, and the
first up in the morning.
After Union had occurred, the Presbyterian Church in South Australia had
no Presbyterian minister in all of Adelaide. Dad was still a young 67
so he felt called to Adelaide. Dad was responsible for 14 preaching
places there, and Mum worked very hard to establish Women’s groups in
each area, knowing that women are often the backbone of the church.
There were fewer children but Mum worked very hard in this area too.
