Vale Florence Hopper
05.06.1930 – 10.05.2023
A CENTRAL figure in the Rosewood community for more than 70 years, a stalwart of the QCWA and its former Miss January when she was 78, a farmer’s wife and a generous giver of her skills and knowledge, Florence May Hopper passed away on Wednesday, May 10.
Florence was born in Toowoomba on June 5, 1930 to Bill and May French – the eldest of three children.
The family lived on a dairy farm called Devonish and Florence attended Walkers Creek School with her brothers, Arthur and David.
The family later moved to Bell, where they bought a house and a fuel depot business.
Florence continued her schooling at Bell and then went onto Kingaroy High School Top which was like a boarding school.
Florence was awarded a Teachers Training College scholarship, though she did not follow through with this scholarship due to her parents building a two-storey store at Cooranga North in 1946.
She was highly skilled in all areas of craft, Florence would have liked to become a Home Science Teacher.
She learned to play the piano at Bell and she taught herself how to play the piano accordion – skills which were often used for Queensland Country Women’s Association musicals, black and white minstrels and at various functions.
Cake icing was also a skill she enjoyed and she ‘marzipanned’ many a QCWA wedding cake, RAAF cakes and celebration cakes.
Florence was also trained at the local Bell Post Office as a telephonist.
Ready to work in the new family store, an automatic exchange would eventually replace the 24 years of personal phone service on the Hoppers property called Rangeview.
Florence met Henry Hopper when he returned from the Japan Occupation where he assisted in the Army Transport Section.
On May 17, 1950 Henry and Florence were married at the St Giles Presbyterian Church at Bell, together they worked on a dairy farm called Springville at Jandowae, and became the parents of Helen and Keith.
In 1953, they bought a dairy farm at Moorlands in Rosewood.
Almost as soon as she arrived, Florence was taken by neighbour Cis Armstrong to join the Rosewood QCWA.
Florence held many key positions on the committee of the Rosewood QCWA, and was a member for more than 70 years.
A typical sight was of Florence, with her index finger pointed, insisting that the butter must be spread to the edge of the crust when making sandwiches, and scones must have butter on them, even when they were to be topped with cream and jam.
Florence often drove a large red Chev cattle truck into Rosewood while sitting on many cushions next to her children, it looked as though three children were sitting in the front seat was no more than five foot tall.
Over the years Florence cared for other people, including family members.
In 1975, during a time of drought on the farm, Florence visited the Amberley base of the RAAF to apply for a position to help pay for farm expenses. She was not allowed to work in the kitchen due to her height, so she ended up setting and cleaning tables in the mess and dining areas.
A hard worker, Florence also milked cows before and after work.
In 1995 she retired, as she was not allowed to work after her 65th birthday.
Florence enjoyed working and she bought herself a new beaut purple Torana, which was even seen chasing the cattle around the paddocks, just like a colourful horse.
Together the family played tennis in Ipswich, gardening was a passion and Florence loved to sew, which led her to buy the most expensive, top of the range, sewing machine available.
Florence was also smitten by the ‘new’ craft of quilting, crocheting and knitting which led to her meeting many new friends that she cherished.
In 2009, Florence posed for the QCWA Calendar as Miss January, while sliding down a tunnel, fully stretched out on her stomach, head first – she was only months away from her 79th birthday at the time.
In 2014, she was nominated for the Rosewood Australia Day Citizen of the Year by the QCWA, for her dedication to the organisation, the community, her friends and family.
Florence loved theatre, loved animals including her many blue heelers and kangaroos and recalled fondly the day she shook Premier Joe Bjelke Pertersen’s hand.
Her caring and giving nature, great sense of humour, passion for crafts and sewing and her contribution to the QCWA and her community will long be remembered.
Florence is survived by her two children, five grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.
