29/1/1932 – 13/2/2022
Una Agnes Chaplin (nee Ferguson) was born on 29 January I932 in the Nurse Hayes Maternity Home, Beaudesert.
She was the second youngest of Dan and Agnes Ferguson’s five children. She had three elder brothers Tom, Ray and Jim and one younger sister, Gladys.
Una started school at Beaudesert State School before moving to Tabooba State School late-1937 to mid-1939 with her brother Jim then returning to Beaudesert State School again.
The family remained in the Beaudesert area, eventually living in Birnam Road, Beaudesert.
After finishing school at the age of 14, Una worked at Mick Flynn Chemist.
During Una’s early school years, the Chaplin family, including their son Kevin, and the Ferguson family formed friendships which became an important part of their lives.
Whilst they were school friends and partnered each other in tennis, a romantic relationship didn’t develop between Kevin and Una until they corresponded with each other after Kevin moved to Injune for work.
As his romance with Una grew, Kevin made many trips back to Beaudesert, his motorbike being his only mode of transport.
They married on 23 May I953 and made a home together on a sheep station near Injune.
This is where they remained working for six years and it was at Injune Kevin and Una spent a lot of time with Kevin’s brother, Ernie and his wife Joy.
In I959 Kevin and Una moved to Scarborough to join Kevin’s brother Andy and his wife Betty in their boat hiring business and kiosk – Bay Boats.
The only time the doors were closed, was two hours for Christmas lunch.
The hours were long and the work hard, but they built a very successful business, well known on the peninsular and throughout Brisbane.
Bay Boats was sold in I976, but Andy, Betty, Kevin and Una still continued to do everything together.
They supposedly retired, but then took up whiting fishing and filleting, sometimes five days a week, weather permitting. They did this together for many years.
When Kevin’s brother Ronny and wife Billy, with their children and grandchildren, came on Easter Friday at least I00 whiting fillets were cooked for lunch, which became an annual get together.
Una and Betty enjoyed many years of Ten Pin Bowling. Una was a great bowler often being named ‘Star of the Week’ and winning many Merit Awards. They were also volunteers for Meals on Wheels for many years.
Family was an important part of Una’s life, with the Fergusons and Chaplins present at every Christmas, birthday, christening and wedding.
The Christmas tradition was for Una to make the Christmas pudding and she was still able to accomplish this last year with help from family members.
Una relished visits from her family and friends.
There was always home cooking and a cup of tea and Una was especially known for her pikelets and date loaf.
Una was a selfless person who put others before her own needs. Her life revolved around Kevin and the life they lived together for 66 years.
When Kevin passed away five and a half years ago, Una was very mindful of trying not to place any extra burden on the family, forever apologising, but she was far from being a burden.
Una was a non-judgemental person and would always say “a person has the right to choose the way they wanted to live”.
She was very understanding of others and conscious of not wanting to hurt their feelings.
On her 90th birthday, as ill as she was, she still managed to thank the family for her day.
She was so gracious and appreciated any little thing you did for her.
Her mannerisms were very lady like and typical of her era.
She was a kind and caring human being and her nature reminded those around her to be better people, to be kinder, more gentle and less judgemental.
