PARNELL Margaret

Florence Hilda nee OXMAN (1899-1978) Florence was born on 5 March 1899 at Narrogin.

She married Richard ‘Dick’ Slee Parnell, on 7 February 1924.

Dick (c1890-1979) was in the 10th Light Horse during WWI and took up a soldier settlement block in 1920 upon his return.

Florence came to the district in 1921.

They had four children: Noel; Margaret; Alfred and Myrtle.

Florence died on 17 August 1978 and is buried at Gnowangerup in the Anglican Section Grave No. 172.

Margaret Down (nee Parnell) was the youngest of four children born to Richard Slee Parnell and Florence Hilda Parnell (nee Oxman).
 

MARGARET PARNELL            #1
 

Myrtle, Noel and Alfred were her older siblings. Sadly, Alfred died at ten years of age in 1939 after complications following a tonsillectomy. Margaret was a beautiful and vibrant girl, but very early in life was diagnosed with a bone disease in her left ankle. Doctors at the time knew little about how to treat this and she was left with a leg about eight centimetres shorter than the other. It was kept in plaster during her first ten years of life. Fortunately a doctor took her case to heart and argued against colleagues who recommended amputating the leg, saving Margaret from this fate.
 

MARGARET PARNELL            #2
 

Over time she learnt to walk wearing a specially built up shoe. During these early years Margaret was unable to play sport and lost many months of schooling, but the struggle to overcome adversity made her more determined to do well in life. As a teenager Margaret learned to dance, making her debut at 19 years of age. She also enjoyed playing golf.

In 1950 at the tender age of twenty, Margaret and her cousin Wally Parnell established an agricultural machinery dealership in newly built premises in Yougenup Road Gnowangerup. This became the most successful Chamberlain-John Deere dealership in Australia. Previously they had owned and operated a successful grocery business.

WALLY & MARGARET PARNELL            #
 

MARGARET PARNELL            #
 

Their close relationship and professional partnership culminated in marriage on 6 September 1972. The business operated for 37 years, during which time Margaret and Wally won six top sales and service awards. In January 1960 “Woman’s Day” magazine published an article celebrating her success as an agricultural machinery saleswoman, breaking through the glass ceiling that had essentially excluded women from engaging in this type of employment. The article described the then 29 year old Margaret as the “Queen of the Tractors” who had outperformed her male rivals to become Chamberlain-John Deere’s top salesperson.

In 1975 Wally and Margaret were rewarded for their outstanding business sales and service achievements with a trip to the USA where they toured the John Deere production facility in Moline, Illinois.

 WALLY & MARGARET PARNELL            #
 

Life on the land wasn’t easy and Margaret often attributed her success in life to her farming upbringing. Her mother came from the pioneering Oxman family of Narrogin and her father from the Parnell family, early settlers who opened up land for farming at Toolbrunup, near Tambellup in the Great Southern Region.

Her parents in turn were pioneers of the Pallinup Soldier Settlement Estate from the early 1920s. Both were second generation Australians of English ancestry.

Wally’s and Margaret’s challenging life experiences led them to generously support many community and sporting associations and clubs in Gnowangerup and nearby districts. Wally led the Rotary Club of Gnowangerup with dignity and integrity as its Charter President and took an active role in the town’s RSL Sub-Branch’s initiatives, assisting ex-servicemen and women and their families. He and Margaret were admired and respected for their willingness to help people in need and for their strong sense of community.
 

MARGARET (Down) nee PARNELL            #
 

Wally’s experiences as a POW of the Japanese in Singapore’s Changi Prison during WW2 left him with indifferent health throughout the rest of his life. He died on 2 August 1976. After his death Margaret successfully managed the W.E & M. Parnell business on her own. After almost seven years as a widow, Margaret married Frank Down, a tractor salesman from Bunbury. She sold her Gnowangerup agricultural machinery business in 1987 and they retired to South Yunderup near Mandurah. She and Frank built a lovely home and developed El Pascho, their six acre hobby farm. Stables and sheds were built and Margaret was able to rekindle her passion for horses, a hobby she had shared with her father. Frank had the same passion, and it wasn’t long before newly bred foals, sulkies and carts were a part of El Pascho.

They quickly immersed themselves in the Pinjarra community, joining and holding prominent positions in the Pony Club, the Rodeo Club and the Riding Club for the Disabled Association. Margaret’s childhood experiences with physical disability, combined with never having had children of her own made her passionate about helping disadvantaged and disabled children. With the help of Frank and close friends, “The Margaret Down Foundation for Disabled and Disadvantaged Children” was established.

Over the 12 year life of the Foundation’s existence, almost $200,000 was donated to individuals, organisations and causes, with Muscular Dystrophy, Rocky Bay, Children’s Leukaemia and Rotary International’s “Sail into Life” programs sharing $100,000 between them. The Mandurah District Rotary Club presented Margaret with a “Paul Harris Fellowship” and Honorary Life Membership acknowledging her philanthropy and tireless work for children in need. A local special- needs school and children with vision impairment also benefitted from Margaret’s generosity.

Margaret and Frank enjoyed a happy and loving marriage of over 26 years, relishing travel and their busy life at El Pascho together, but ten years ago, life for both of them changed forever when she was diagnosed with Familial Alzheimer’s Dementia. Frank’s love and devotion kept them together as her physical and mental health progressively deteriorated. Every item of equipment, every therapy including in-home nursing assistance was provided in an attempt to make her life as comfortable as possible. He resisted the entreaties of well-intentioned support agencies who sought to have Margaret removed from his care until ten months before her death when the State, using its powers under the Mental Health Act, removed her to hospital in Fremantle, then residential care in Perth - awaiting placement in a residential aged care facility Mandurah.

 THE PARNELL FAMILY
MYRTLE, MARGARET , NOEL, FLORENCE, & RICHARD PARNELL            #
 

Unfortunately the Office of the Public Advocate was unable to obtain a placement for Margaret closer to her South Yunderup home. Frank’s separation from his beloved wife was heartbreaking. Family and friends continued to provide love and support, but during the early hours of Sunday 22 August, Margaret passed away at Swan District Hospital.

Margaret will be fondly remembered for her “Can Do”’ approach to life; for her cheerfulness and love of a good joke; for her preparedness to help those less well off; for her love of children; and for her straight talking. She was a remarkable woman, whose business acumen and achievement working in a traditionally male field of employment, places her well before her time. Margaret’s words and actions demonstrated her love and commitment to family and friends.

She lived a full life shared with many people, enjoying a lifelong close friendship with her cousin Margaret Hancock (nee Oxman) and her family. She was step mother to Wally’s two sons from his first marriage and to Frank’s five sons. Margaret will be dearly missed by Frank, elder sister Myrtle Wellstead, sister-in-law Muriel Parnell, nieces and nephews, stepsons, many close friends and by the Down, Parnell and Oxman extended families.
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References:                 Article:       Sam Hancock

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Copyright : Gordon Freegard 2024