| Notes |
- Born: 19 October 1944 in Hamilton, the youngest child of Maurice and Flo Yendell.
Schooling: Attended Waikato Diocesan School, Hamilton 1950 to 1961. I thoroughly enjoyed school life which lead me to decide on teaching as a career.
Training College: I attended the Hamilton Teachers? College from 1962 to 1964. In those days all teachers were bonded to the government and we all had to teach for 2 years after graduating. Two years spent teaching problem children at Tokoroa Intermediate and Melville Intermediate saw me keen to say farewell to teaching.
The OE: 1967. One of the most memorable experiences was being in Israel at the outbreak of the Seven Day War. Quite an experience for a young ?Kiwi?.
The Travel Industry: On my return to NZ to be with the family during Gloria?s illness I took a job with Leigh Dunbar Travel, Hamilton. A major career change resulted. They were exciting times with lots of travel opportunities, such as the Trans Siberian rail journey plus the fun of escorting groups to the Pacific Islands. Our agency had no one who had been to South Africa so in 1972 I volunteered to spend a year there. I was employed by BOAC [British Airways] where I met Andrew Franklin Fallis, a South African. My life took a new direction
Married Life: Andrew and I were married 25 January, 1975 in Hamilton and then returned to Johannesburg, South Africa to live.
On 12 April 1976 Bryan Stuart Fallis was born and on 06 June 1979 Katherine Blanche Fallis [Katie]. We continued to live in Johannesburg. Both Andrew and I worked full time for a variety of airlines. They were busy years as all young couples know.
We returned to Hamilton in 1985 which did give Bryan and Katie an opportunity to experience life in NZ and get to know some of their NZ relatives. By 1987 we returned to South Africa this time settling in Durban. The city suited us much better as a family. We enjoyed being near to the beach and the climate meant all year round swimming which we thrived on.
Lecturing in Durban: In 1989 I accepted a part time lecturing position in the tourism department at what was to become DUT [Durban University of Technology]. My teacher training along with a subject I felt passionate about meant I really enjoyed the position from the start. Within a year I was employed full time and continued to help the department grow for the next 18 years. Very interesting and exciting times given the political changes that South Africa was experiencing.
Andrew was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2000. He put up an amazing fight but died 14 August 2004.
Bryan and his South African wife Chilo Deghaye continue to live in Durban where Bryan runs ?Hazpak Trainaid? a family business , he started with Andrew in 1995. It handles the packaging of dangerous goods for international flights plus the industry?s training requirements.
Katie completed a BA in Social Science at Cape Town University. She is married to an Australian, Matthew Norman Potter [ Matt] . Their first child Stella Elizabeth Potter was born 16 Feb 2006, in Western Australia. Later that year Matt who is in the oil industry accepted a transfer to New Plymouth.
Life in South Africa was very difficult for a widow so in 2007 I decided to return to NZ and am now very happily settled in New Plymouth.
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1944 - (80 years)