Obituaries Australia

"I'll be here to welcome you, boy, find a Merry Christmas to you all if you miss the trip".

Months before Back to Dubbo Week, Mrs. Annie Walden, of "Araluen," Brisbane Street, Dubbo, gave this cheerio, sweetened with a smile to her 14 stone son, who was motoring home after a holiday with her and was pledging the next reunion for the early December carnival.

Mother kept her word (they always, do). Though on the eve of her 85th birthday, she was bright and cheerful over carnival week, and even for the Christmas cheer. Then the heat told its tale and the fine old lady collapsed. The family was summoned and all save a soldier son in Randwick Hospital were at her bedside when she breathed her last on Friday.

Mrs.Annie Walden was born at Helston, Cornwall (Eng.) in 1851. She married William Walden, who predeceased her about eight years, Walden was one of Cobb and Co's pioneer "whips", who drove the old mail coaches from Bathurst to Bourke. That was long, long ago, and Mrs Walden boasted a residence of Dubbo of over 60 years, although for many years she resided with her husband and family in the Gilgandra district. Her late husband's name is preserved in the old song composed about the Castlereagh flood of 1874.

She was the mother a fine family—F. W. Walden, of Nabiac; H. J., of Bexley; S. E., the sick soldier son of Penhurst; W. R., of Oakvale, Gilgandra; M. C., of Randwick; Mrs. P. C. Rose, of Dubbo; and F. A. of Dubbo.

Two of the family had died in earlier years, Mrs. R. M. Diggs (Gilgandra) and H. H. Walden.

The body, encased in a beautiful casket was motored to Gilgandra on Saturday and laid beside the grave of deceased's life-mate.

The Methodist minister (Rev. Winston Jones) read the burial service, and Mr. J. R. Tighe had charge of the funeral.

To the bereaved family sincere sympathy is extended in the passing of a splendid mother—a real woman of the West.