Celebrating Life and Love

Residents of Macquaire Lodge Aged Care Centre and Retirement Village (“Macquarie Lodge”), Lieutenant-Colonels Don and Bernice, are no strangers to The Salvation Army. “Our grandmothers and grandfathers were all part of The Salvation Army at West End, Brisbane,” Bernice says. “As well as uncles, aunts, cousins – whole families.”  

The Salvation Army West End, Brisbane, was a large family Corps where Don and Bernice first met and where they were involved in every aspect of church life. “Don was a member of the brass band of about 30 players as well as the male voice party, which was well known in the churches of Brisbane,” Bernice explains.

They were both members of the Songster Brigade choir, and attended Bible study, youth group, and services during the morning and on a Sunday night as well as Sunday School and social outings. The Saturday night concerts presented at various venues in Brisbane sometimes consisted of three or four generations of people. “We just loved being part of this for our friends were there as well,” Bernice says.

When Bernice turned twenty-one, she and Don got engaged and they were married at The Salvation Army Thomas Street West End Corps in Brisbane. She says that the first ten years of their marriage was a happy time with the couple having two daughters and a son and, after 66 years, their marriage remains as strong as ever. Don is “utterly dependable,” Bernice states.

In 1969, Don was assigned to serve in the 8^th Battalion that left for Vietnam as a Salvation Army Red Shield philanthropic representative, with The Salvation Army having Officer personnel involved in military service in World War I and II, as well as the Vietnam War. These Officers supported soldiers on the frontline and Don was stationed in Vietnam for 13 months whilst Bernice stayed in Australia to look after their children.

“For years after his service he was afflicted with Agent Orange and, even today, still has medication to help him,” Bernice explains, going on to say that Don was a different person when he came back to Australia. “The family dynamics had also changed during Don's absence and we struggled to re-adjust.” They recall that was their most difficult time as a couple.

Following his return to Australia, he eventually became a leader in the field of trauma and, whilst a Chaplain to the New South Wales Fire Brigade, introduced a program called, ‘Who cares for the carer.” He served in this role and at Hurstville Corps for two years, doing both. “So much of his material was from personal experience,” Bernice explains.

Since then, Don and Bernice lived through countless events and experiences together, and they remain dedicated to one another "Bernice rolls with punches, she is always there for me and that was an important part," Don states. "We could never have done it without love, and without the love of God in our hearts.”                            

Bernice agrees. “The attraction to each other in our teens was but the beginning of a whole life time of incredible experiences that shaped and moulded us,” she says. “Our love for each other and the love of God within our own individual lives, and our total commitment to Jesus, enabled us to meet the demands of life. This has been a true partnership between our Lord, and Don and myself in His Service.”