Lorna Frogley and husband Bill on their 65th wedding anniversary.By Kath Gannaway
Lorna May Frogley
Born: 8 April, 1914
Died: 8 March, 2008
HOME was a haven for Lorna Frogley. It was where she enjoyed family life – everything that was precious to her.
And, to the delight of many locals and visitors to Healesville, it was where she baked her famous sausage rolls and scones for decades – eagerly sought out at street stalls and social events.
Lorna May Hotchin was born on 8 April 1914 in Auburn, Victoria, the youngest of Thomas and May Hotchin’s 10 children.
Her death on 8 March closed a chapter for the Hotchin family, as she was the last surviving sibling from that generation.
Life threw up many challenges for the young Lorna.
Shortly after her birth her mother had a breakdown and Lorna was placed in the Berry Street Foundling Home until she recovered.
When she was just 11 tragedy struck again when her father died leaving May to bring up the large family of young children on her own.
At one time the younger children went into foster care while Lorna’s mother worked to help keep the older children.
When she was able to earn sufficient money May rented a home in Elsternwick to bring all the family together again.
Lorna left school at 12 to care for the younger children and was just 14 when she put her age up a year to get a job at Sheldon’s laundry in Hawthorn. She earned 17 shillings and sixpence a week to help keep the family.
It was in October 1933 that Lorna met the love of her life, Bill Frogley. She was 19 and Bill was 20.
Lorna and Bill’s courtship blossomed and the couple was married on 26 June, 1937 at Oakleigh. They were married for more than 70 years.
Five years later another long association began.
Lorna and Bill moved with other members of the Frogley family to Healesville to set up Healesville Camping Park at Harkaway, a more than five hectare (14-acre) property on Badger Creek Road.
Things went well until war broke out in 1939 and Bill joined the RAAF.
While Bill was away, Lorna stayed with her sister Lily, returning to work at Sheldon’s.
Bill and Lorna’s first son Trevor was born in 1943 followed by Ian in 1946 and John a year later.
Rationing of building materials after the war saw the Frogley families embark on a change of direction, setting up HCP (Healesville Camping Park) Aerated Waters making soft drinks and cordials.
Lorna supported Bill in the family business and his many years of community service included his time as a Shire of Healesville councillor and shire president, charter member and president of the Lions Club of Healesville and many other interests including Badger Creek Fire Brigade.
Away from home Lorna made life-long friendships as a member for 35 years of the Badger Creek CWA, including president a number of times and her charity work with St John’s Anglican Church.
Lorna was very house-proud and loved her home in Badger Creek where she and Bill lived for 43 years.
She enjoyed gardening and cooking and embraced the opportunity to travel.
The Frogleys travelled for business and pleasure within Australia and overseas, providing many wonderful shared memories.
When the couple celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in 2002, Lorna said the secret to happiness was having plenty to do.
She simply didn’t believe in being bored and couldn’t understand why anyone else would.
“We can always have a conversation. We can always sit and just listen to music together,” she said.
In 2005, after living in Healesville for 67 years, the couple went to live at Summerwood Hostel in Lilydale.
Lorna moved into the Lilydale Nursing Home last year and died just a month short of her 94th birthday.
Bill and Lorna Frogley were very much ‘an item’, sharing a long and happy life together.
Lorna is survived by her loving husband Bill, her three sons and their partners, eight grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren, the last one arriving just the day before Lorna passed away.
