Henry reports

Just back from Dave Argent's funeral and submit the following for the interest of your readers.

On Friday 5th Janelle and I travelled from Brisbane to the beautiful Nambucca Valley which, like all of the country in between looked great after good rains. We were told to get to Bowraville ...does this ring a bell with anyone?  Well right now there is a "Sniff" tragic from there playing ducks and drakes to the highest bidder - the Bronos having pulled out of the race and the Rabbitos and The Storm now trying to sort out what might be the final outcome. A big Aboriginal community near Bowraville so they probably have a pretty good side- all sporting facilities are in the town except the premier footy code, AFL, but give it a few years and.....

As we pulled up in front of the hostelry where our reservations had been made Rod Hard and the Big Bob "Moose" Davis leaned over the balcony and welcomed us with words which were pretty clearly aided by an early start on the 'red'.  As I was more than 500 kms away from Godzilla I was in the mood and had enough courage to join them ('red' and all alcohol being off the menu as part of the strategy of regaining my health)  From the balcony and after a couple of glasses we had time to look the town over and it was a very neat place with substantial buildings - many erected in the early 20th Century. The place we stayed in was built of very solid timber (the town obviously prospered on its timber getting- two sawmills still operating there) as not even Bob's trip to the ablutions at night (15 yards away from the bedrooms -four poster beds) did NOT  manage to elicit one creak!!

The following day we travelled quite a distance to C3 Nambucca Valley, WIRRIMBI, where we joined a large gathering of people to support Kerry and the family through the ceremony and later the burial. This place is the home of some Calathumpian religious sect - as preferred by the Argents when the Anglicans refused approval for the now popular power-point presentation of birth to death and limited the time for eulogies. In all it was a very nice service and the atmosphere less funereal which I am sure was a great help to Kerry who has been a tower of strength matching Dave's great last fight..

Dave had a favourite niece, an attractive MD who liked sport and betting, a beer and could play the piano - as it seems all of the Argents can. She advised that despite her classical training, after three beers she had to get off the keyboard as her playing deteriorated so badly....Dave by contrast could not read a note of music (it got in the way of his spontaneity) but by his thirteenth beer he would have shamed Liberace.  Fortunately, as part of the powerpoint there was Dave playing a known piece and one he had created  only a few weeks before his affliction took him from the family...wonderful clip to have.

From the ASOPA side Rod,. Bob, Janelle and I represented the 1962 intake while Glen Warwick was of the 1963 intake. Glen had known Dave before he went to ASOPA and was staying with his mother in the area - over the years in PNG, and since, Glen has  been very close to the Dave and Kerry family and I was pretty certain he would do the honours for us all in the eulogy stakes- he didn't offer. Without a voice I was out of the game so up jumps fearless Big Bob and lays 'em in the aisles lightening the atmosphere with some amusing memories  - and most appreciated was his desciption of those invited to join Dave on "The Drive" - a look for femmes around Sydney town. Their first sortie occurred in a Town Hall Saturday Night Dance and after half an hour Dave said to Bob, " I have found THE ONE" - no need to look any further.."

And it turned out to be so. Dave and Kerry were married less than three months later in January 1963. "The Drive" died right there", reported Bob.

It was then off to the cemetery about 20 kms away and guess where?  Argents'Hill. It turns out that the place was originally settled by an Argent 110 years ago- at least-  and Dave had been brought from Tassy to Argents' Hill to join the family. All of the big number of  Argents present had put down their $2 to reserving their plot. Unfortunately Dave's older brother  and a nephew have recently preceded him to this peaceful resting place among the gum trees....the nephew due to a freak accident on a skate board at age 17.

So, here was I (as his best man) thinking I knew the guy-  contact for wedding anniversary and birthday 47 times and called into the three or four places he had settled over the years and had no idea of his background. Who else do you know who will be buried in a cemetery carrying your family name? And a composer to boot..........isn't it great to receive these surprises but so late in the day, Dave!!!!

With so many talented Argent musicians present readers can probably guess the course the after interment ceremony  took...a wonderful variety of instrumentals and voices.

I am confident that the day would have helped Kerry a great deal after such a long and protracted period of watching   a courageous husband's battle and then the huge job of arranging to get Dave from Tasmania to the home cemetery.

Janelle and I had to take off early but I understand that Bob and Rod were entertaining Kerry back at our digs after the afternoon nibbles and entertainment in such idyllic surrounds.

We all hope that Kerry will be able to make the necessary adjustments to her new circumstances and will spend some time with her daughter's family before returning to Tasmania and making arrangements for the move back to the Wauchope area where her son and  daughter's families live.

I am sure that she would appreciate hearing from others of our ASOPA intake and others of the Argent friends.

What a girl.

And what a loss with Davy Baby not with us to add to the stories we associate with Dave Argent. It was nice knowing you mate.


Henry Bodman