By KATH GANNAWAY
WALTER Lawrence wore many hats in his work for others, but one of his most colourful was yellow.
Walter’s home-grown bunches of daffodils graced the Daffodil Day stalls at Healesville for many years.
His fields of gold on Schoolhouse Road, Woori Yallock, were planted over the years from two bulbs his father brought home.
“They just kept on multiplying and multiplying so we just decided to start donating them to help with Daffodil Day,” he told the Mail back in 2012.
Walter passed away on 2 September this year.
He was born in Ringwood on 18 May, 1929, the third child and eldest son of Ernest and Mary Lawrence’s 10 children.
Walter started school at Wonga Park and started at Woori Yallock State School in 1938 when the family moved to the Yarra Valley.
He was 14 when he left school to work in the forestry with his father.
He worked in the industry for seven and a half years and was proficient at his work and for 26 years with the Board of Works as a plant operator.
His wife, of 56 years, Rita, said he loved machinery. He learned to handle a variety of equipment and machinery, skills he honed and developed throughout his life.
Walter and Rita (nee Hair) were married at the Clear Lake Methodist Church on 8 April 1959 and they raised their three children, Wally Margaret and John on the family farm. Sadly, Wally died in a motorcycle accident at just 22 years of age.
Walter loved children and was delighted when he became a grandfather 17 years ago, and again two years later.
He adored his two grand-daughters, Riannon and Vanessa.
Rita said Walter gave his life to the Lord when he was 17.
Four years later, he went to Bible college (Melbourne Bible Institute) and over the years was involved in various missions and supported individual missionaries.
His 50 years as an elder in the Woori Yallock Presbyterian Church was celebrated in July this year.
“The word of God was of paramount importance to Walter,” Rita said.
He believed in faith in action and was very community-minded.
Throughout his life he had been involved in the local fire brigade, school council, Red Cross, the Yarra Junction Hospital Committee, LinC where he was a volunteer driver and delivered food parcels and bread.
And, of course, there was his annual donation of daffodils to support the anti-cancer cause.
“He would help wherever he saw the need and where his skills could be used,” Rita said.
Walter had major surgery in July from which he recovered well, but passed away suddenly two months later.
