Iris Elizabeth Butler

  Noted events in her life were:

• source. Pat Spence who writes:
Iris Elizabeth Butler was born in Townsville in 1903 and was educated at first in Townsville at St Joseph's School and St Patrick's College and later because of a bronchitis condition was sent to boarding school in Toowoomba at St Saviours. She travelled to Brisbane by boat with her brother Ormand who was enrolled at St Joseph's College Nudgee. At this time, prior to the completion of the rail link from Brisbane to Townsville, the trip had to be made by boat.

Iris studied commercial subjects and music. She was an accomplished pianist. On leaving school she worked for some firms in Townsville including Samuel Allen's and also helped her parents at home. In the war years she worked for the groups established in Townsville looking to provide recreation for troops - with dances, suppers and outings.

She also travelled when quite young, with her father George to the Great Barrier Reef on his boats the Tivoli and Nell Bay. She even helped sail the converted sailing ship the City of Adelaide to its final resting place moored in Cockle Bay, on Magnetic Island.

After the war years she went to Sydney and obtained a position with AWA in their maritime communication section. Organising supplies by radio telephone prior to the arrival of the ship in port.

Iris had met Bill Rochfort in Townsville during the Second World War and in Sydney they met again and decided to marry in 1950. Bill had been widowed and he had a young daughter from his previous marriage, Faye [later to be Faye Cable].

Iris and Bill moved into a home at 24 Tennant Parade Dulwich Hill high on a hillside overlooking the Cook's River. They had no children of their marriage, and lived in the same house until Bill's death in 1991. Bill Rochfort is buried at Rookwood Cemetery. Iris, when she died in March 2000, is buried with Bill.

Iris's brother Ormand often travelled to Sydney to visit them and looked forward to a cigar with Bill and a chat over the paper. They often headed off to the Bowling club 'over the road' for a couple of beers at 5 o'clock, and Orme usually took some cans of Queensland XXXX beer to share with Bill.

Iris was a 'do-it-yourself' fanatic and thought nothing of attempting anything from shoe repairs, to plastering, and painting. For years the garden was her pride and joy, with roses growing on the terraces, and birds coming daily to be fed in her back garden.

When Bill and Iris needed help, Bruce Bloye and his wife Beth, a cousin of Iris's and also Bill's daughter [from his previous marriage] Faye and Laurie Cable were always ready to lend a hand.
After Bill's death Iris remained alone in the house until April 1994 when a serious fall down the steep front steps put her first into Canterbury Hospital for 9 days and then to Ashbury Nursing Home on the 28th April 1994. She was still resident there and was 96 years old in August 1999.

Bruce Bloye died in January 1999 and at that time Pat contacted the Guardianship Tribunal and asked that they take care of financial payments for Iris in the Nursing Home.

Iris died in March 2000 at Ashbury Nursing Home of a heart attack. She was buried at Rookwood Cemetery Sydney beside her husband Bill in Grave No 1361 Lawn Section 7.

Iris married William Francis Rochfort on 22 Jun 1950 in Sydney, NSW Australia. (William Francis Rochfort was born on 16 Nov 1908 in Frogmore, NSW Australia, died on 22 May 1991 in Hurlstone Park, Sydney, NSW Australia and was buried in Rookwood Cemetery, Lidcombe, Sydney, NSW Australia.)