Stafford, Doris ‘Maude’ (Cocking)

Daughter of John Henry & Margaret May Weir/Morris m.10/05/1908

Sister of –
Florence Ethel [Bullen]
Joan [Chapman]
Margaret Mary ‘Molly’ [Gilbar]
Ruby [Bianchi]
William ‘Bill’ Charles
John ‘Jack’ Henry
Cyril George

Wife of Max Stafford
Mother of Lewis, Ronald & Wayne

“Mum was born Doris Maude Cocking on the 2nd of October 1917 one of 8 children, 5 girls and 3 boys, at a place called Muttaburra in Queensland. This town is at the heart of the channel country where the Thompson River in flood can be a couple of kilometres wide. Proclaimed in 1878 Muttaburra, in Mums time during the 1920’s had a population of five hundred people. Five hotels, a bank, picture theatre, three stores, tobacconist, butcher, baker and hospital. Water was supplied by way of an artesian bore sunk to a depth of 825 metres in November 1900. Produced at a high temperature you needed a cooling tank before you could use it.

Mum was fourteen years old when she met Dad, then twenty-seven. Dad was a jackeroo and amateur jockey and Mum gave him the knockout blow with a tennis ball to the eye on the tennis court shortly after. At sixteen Dad was asked to declare his intentions and in 1934 at the tender age of seventeen she became Doris Maude Stafford.

They travelled on the maiden voyage of a ship called the Manuora, from Brisbane to Melbourne where they settled after a short time with Dads family at Cranbourne, where Dad got a job looking after the horses and hounds at the Cranbourne Hunt Club.

Dad had attended Dookie College prior to moving to Queensland and had spent time working with his parents at “Yïn Barrun” a property near Swanpool, then owned by the Currie family. Dad renewed the association and Mum & Dad lived there for a year or two until the property was sold. Moving to Wangaratta in 1939 we lived at harper Street until after the war, and finally at 159 (now 165) Rowan Street.

Three boys, Lewis born in 1936 at Benalla, Ron in 1938 also at Benalla and Wayne (after the war) in Wangaratta in 1949. We have all been given a lot of love and have given back lots of love in return. She was a mother, in our minds who had an honours degree in honesty, integrity, cooking, cleaning, sewing, mending, you name it here wasn’t much she wouldn’t have a go at.

One of the things that remain in our minds was the fierce loyalty she held for her family, don’t expect agreement if you criticised your brother or brothers, she would always stick up for the other party.

Mum in her latter years never complained and always retained her sense of dignity and humour. She always loved an excuse for dressing up and putting on her rings, bangles and beads. One of my friends always referred to her as “sparkles”. In the last couple of years Mum showed extraordinary will power and determination to remain in her home until the end.

This last week has been sad but also beautiful, she was both serene in life and in death.”

– Eulogy

Buried 5 June 2008 at Wangaratta Cemetery, Victoria
View Funeral Service Leaflet