Obituary

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XXII, Issue 3, 1 July 1929, Page 124

Obituary

The death of Nurse Dorothy Bryham occurred at the Auckland Hospital on May 14th. 1929, after a short illness of only two days. Nurse Bryham was 22 years of age, and had just passed into her third year of training. Her body was taken to the Hospital Chapel. The funeral took place on the following day from the hospital. A short service was held m the Chapel, about 100 nurses being present. After the service the nurses formed a Guard of Honour from the Chapel door to the gate. Her class mates followed her body to the graveside. Many beautiful wreaths were sent from the hospital staffs; her class mates. Junior Resident Medical Staff, Lady Superintendent and Sisters, the night nurses, and also one from the male staff.

* * # * The sad case of the disappearance of Nurse McHaffie, who some months ago left St. Helen's Hospital, to stay with friends on the West Coast, and after being seen off on the train by a friend among the pupil nurses, has not been heard of since, has caused much anxiety. It is now definitely decided that she must be dead, though still some few of her friends will not give up hope. Nurse McHaffie was trained by the Timaru Hospital, and later took her Karitane training, and became a Plunket Nurse, she acted as Matron of the Invercargill Mothercraft Home, and her services were much valued by the Plunket Society. She was taking her Midwifery training at St. Helen's, Christchurch, but circumstances made it necessary for her to have a change, and she was granted leave. Her luggage arrived at the station to which she was bound, but it has never been claimed. Search has unavailing!}' been made for her.

On Friday night, July sth. there passed away Rhoda Myers (Sister Rhoda McRae), wife of Dr. F. Myers, of Wellington, after a very short illness (pneumonia). Mrs. Myers was trained at the Christchurch Hospital, and served during the war and afterwards at Trentham Military Hospital until she married Dr. Myers. She leaves, besides her husband and her sister, two little children to mourn their loss. Her sweet disposition and happy personality endeared her to those around her, and her loss at so early an age is indeed sad.

* * * * On May 22nd, there passed away m Wellington an old nurse who came out to New Zealand m 1877—Mrs. Swanson, was then Nurse Lyons, and had been trained at the school established by Florence Nightingale, at St. Thomas' Hospital, and endowed with the money subscribed for the nation m recognition of her great work m the Crimean War. Miss Lyons was one of those who first answered the call for probationers for the Nightingale School, and did so well there that when Miss Nightingale was requested to send nurses to reorganise the nursing at the Edinburgh Infirmary, she was one of those sent. Later, when she left England as matron of an immigrant ship for New Zealand. Miss Nightingale wrote her a letter of farewell. When she felt her end approaching she presented her books, gifts of Miss Nightingale, to the Grace Niel Memorial Library. In the last years of her life this fine old nurse was totallyblind. She lived till she was over 80, and retained her interest m her old hospital days, of which she loved to talk when nurses visited her.

•Jt Jj( 5(1 3p Sister Catherine Cremen, who trained at the Auckland Hospital and registered m 1922, died at the Kueri Kueri Hospital, New South Wales, after a sudden attack

of haemorrhage on the brain. Xurse Cremen had gone to New South Wales shortly after completing her training. She was accorded a large funeral, with representatives of all the public bodies of the township present, and a guard of honour formed by the nurses. A tribute paid by the Matron, is as follows: —-"Sister Cremen was the kindest woman that I have ever known, and it is small wonder that she was beloved by all who came under her care. She was a loyal officer. Her charming personality and dazzling wit was an unending source of pleasure to all who came m contact with her. Such a nurse can ill be spared from the ranks of the profession, and we who knew and loved her deeply regret her passing."

* + Alan}- nurses will regret to learn of the death of Air. Burnett, Chairman of the \\vd Cross m Wellington. He took the greatest interest m all the work done by the nurses for the patients at the Red Cross Home. The patients there will miss

his kindl) presence at any of the entertainments arranged for them, and his frequent visits at the Home. Air. Burnett had served during the war m London and was called "Old Dad" by many of the men whom he helped and befriended.

* # * * We regret to record the recent death of Airs. J. Beaton, who was Xurse Rena Te Au, trained (after her education at the Maori Girls' College at Napier) at the Invercargill Hospital, where she remained on the staff for some years and was much beloved. Nurse was later a district nurse, but married and gave up her profession. She was possessed of a beautiful soprano voice, and was much engaged m concert work. She was called the "Maori Bellbird," and could have made a career as a singer, being offered a two years' engagement to tour America m conjunction with the Rev. Papakura, the well-known Maori tenor, but preferred a domestic home life.