By BEN CAMERON
THE Monomeith and Kooweerup communites have celebrated the cricket scoring abilities, acting skills and overall life of Kath Glasscock, who passed away just months before her 102nd birthday.
The mother of George, John and Judith, was remembered for many things, but especially her love of cricket.
She married Marcus Glasscock in 1936 and lived on a farm in Monmeith until 1996.
Marcus was actively involved in local sport, so Kath took up scoring at cricket as a way of staying awake.
Her role as scorer continued when sons George and John began playing – a role she held for over 30 years.
“Her spirit got her to the 100-year mark,” son-in-law Malcolm Nicholas said.
“Her 100th birthday party was one of the happiest days of her life. She was extremely pleased to have made ‘100 not out’.”
Attributing her longevity to lots of walking and eating porridge, “Mrs G” was made a life-member of the West Gippsland Cricket Association and the Kooweerup Cricket Club, after being official scorer at Country Week and local matches.
“Kath loved to watch the cricket on TV and even kept score then,” he said.
“She was not just a spectator and scorer, but also gave players, coaches and umpires much advice.
“She may not have been physically big, but she more than made up for it through her strength of character, her determination and her strong sense of right and wrong,”
“She was extremely loyal to her family and the community, but she was never afraid to speak her mind. We remember her for all her strengths and weaknesses.”
Kath was born in Prahran on 10 April, 1913, and first came to the area in 1926 to holiday with her aunt in Lang Lang.
She was heavily involved in the community, helping with Christmas plays at Yallock State School, was a long-running office bearer with the CWA and the higher elementary school at Kooweerup, and was greatly admired for her acting skills.
Marcus passed away in 1979, but she didn’t leave Monomeith until 1996 after a minor domestic accident.
She rang her children George and Margaret one evening, asking them to bring some band-aids – she’d smashed her ankle trying to swat a spider while standing on a portable heater.
“It wouldn’t be fixed by a couple of band-aids but is a good example of Kath’s tendency to underestimate her injuries,” Malcolm said.
She eventually moved to a unit in Kooweerup and lived independently until she was over 90 years of age, spending her final eight years at Killara aged care.
“(We) remember the genuinely soft, caring and loving person inside that diminutive and determined exterior,” he said.
