The Kerry Faul Memorial Award

article written by Clive Faul

Kerry Faul was born in Dubbo NSW on the 16^th of August 1958 to mother Josephine and father Leslie Pierpoint.

Kerry was the oldest of three children with brothers Neal and Ian.

Kerry attended Primary School in Dubbo and in 1971 following her mother and father moving to Albury Kerry then attended St. Joseph’s High School in Albury and left school in year 5 in 1975.

After leaving St. Joseph’s High School Kerry commenced her nursing training at the Mercy Hospital in Kiewa Street in Albury and graduated as an enrolled nurse in January 1979.

On completion of her general training Kerry was accepted as a nurse at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney.

Kerry then went on to graduate as a midwife at King George the V Hospital in Sydney in April  1981. 

In May of 1981 Kerry along with a couple of her friends left to travel the UK and Europe for twelve months.

Kerry retuned to Albury in 1982 and commenced work in midwifery at the Mercy Hospital in Albury.

Kerry left the Mercy Hospital in September of 1984 to commence at the Saucery Restaurant in Albury which she operated with her brother Ian for a period of eighteen months.

It was at the Saucery that Kerry and Clive first met and Clive along with a couple of partners operated Maudies Wine bar which was west along Dean Street from the Saucery.

Kerry and Clive were married on the 25/10/1986 in St. David’s Church in Albury.

Kerry was indeed a great wife and pursued my sailing interests whilst crewing for me on my 5.0 metre Catamaran and we travelled far and near to attend regattas. We managed to take off 3^rd place in a Victorian State Championship along with many titles at Lake Hume with the Albury Wodonga Yacht Club.

Kerry also began part time work at Wodonga Hospital as a community nurse and also midwife, taking up a full time position in 1985 and continued there until 1987 after which Kerry began work at Albury Base Hospital which was then situated in Wodonga Place in Albury, as a midwife until the Hospitals closure in 1988.

Son Michael was born on the 5/08/1989 and daughter Hannah was born on the 11/02/1991.

During the year that Michael was born Kerry began studies as an external student at Charles Sturt University in Wagga to obtain her Bachelor of Health Science which she completed in 1992 whilst raising the two children as well.

Clive had been previously married with a son and daughter from that marriage, David and Julia.

On the 9^th of April 1993 which was Good Friday of Easter that year Kerry was returning from a shift at Albury Base in Children’s Ward when the car she was driving was struck by a four wheel drive which contained four young guys that had failed to stop at a stop sign whilst travelling north in Cherry Lane at the intersection of Cherry Lane and Wilson Street in Wodonga.

Kerry was killed instantly as a result of this accident leaving her husband Clive, son Michael aged 3 and daughter Hannah aged 2.

Clive still vividly recalls going to a knock at the door in the early hours of the Saturday morning to be greeted by a policeman and policewoman along with two of his neighbours from Arnold Place in Wodonga where Clive and Kerry used to live.

Clive stated that “My world indeed was turned upside down with immediate thoughts of how could I explain to the children that they would never see their mother again despite how young they were”.

Clive said that on reflection he has no doubt that his self and body just went into survival mode as he came to terms with all the things that men take for granted with what is necessary to raise a young family.

Clive recalled that one of the most difficult times he endured was when He along with Kerry’s Mum and Dad attended Kerry’s Graduation Ceremony in Wagga where Clive accepted her degree on her behalf”.

Clive also remembers ever so clearly sitting in the auditorium awaiting proceedings and the lovely nurse that sat beside me and enquired was I Kerry?

I explained the situation and she held my hand explaining that she had lost her fiancé under similar circumstances.

Having once accepted the Degree and walking towards the stairs leading away from the stage Clive recalls the strong thought went through his mind that indeed he didn’t think that he would make it back to his seat.

Upon descending the stairs there waiting for him was the lovely nurse without whose help Clive said he would have had great difficulty in returning to his seat.

Clive states that he shall always be indebted to the Rotary Club of Wodonga West for the support that club members and in particular their wives provided for me.

Babysitting the kids whilst I attended club meetings and many other wonderful gestures.

The years went by and Clive and kids survived with a special bond and depth of love

For which he is indeed grateful. There were times Clive says when he thought that he just couldn’t do it any longer and thought of several ways of ending it all, but could not do it to the children that he loved so much.

Clive said that as the children grew there were many memorable occasions and many times when fond memories of the wonderful lady, mate and best buddy would bring him undone when he least expected it.

Michael’s first day at school when along with so many of other mothers Clive shed a tear and for reasons unknown to all others around me. He reflected on just how much Kerry would have loved to have been there.

Daughter Hannah arrived home from Primary School with a gift for Clive from the Mother’s Day stall and apologised for the fact that there weren’t many men things for sale.

Clive can also remember sending Hannah some flowers for Valentine’s Day and she told him just how embarrassed she was but then went on to tell her Dad that several of the other kids had said how they wished their Dad had sent them some and they laughed together.

Having experienced being a single parent Clive realised how difficult the task is and how it is challenging to both the father and or mother as the case may be as it is being the bady and the goody that provides the challenge.

Clive recalls that watching the two children develop over the years was certainly something he cherished and it was a fine line to know how they would turn out as one can only provide so much guidance and then it’s a matter of hoping that your teachings as to distinguishing between right and wrong is ultimately their choice.

They were indeed two distinct individuals with Hannah from an early age deciding that all she wanted in life was to follow in her others footsteps despite having hardly known her mother.

Clive recalls when Hannah received good results in her studies that he suggested that perhaps she should consider studying to be a Doctor to which she replied “Dad I wouldn’t make a good Doctor but I will make a good nurse.”

Hannah after graduating as a nurse has gone on to graduate also as a midwife.

Clive says that Michael I guess followed more in my steps whilst I was a Motor Mechanic Michael excelled with woodwork and was more trade oriented and far from an academic.

Clive realising that he did need for them to cut the apron strings so to speak and venture from home.

To this end again Clive is indebted to Rotary.

I encouraged them both to apply for what I believe is one of Rotary’s most successful programmes and that is of Youth Exchange said Clive.

It was the thought of snowboarding in powder snow that prompted Michael to apply and  was successful in travelling to Switzerland and enjoying the culture and the language for twelve months.

Clive recalls when reflecting on Hannah’s application for the program as on her first attempt he was advised that the interviewing panel thought that she was not ready to leave home.

On questioning her as to what had transpired in interview she did smile when relating to him that when asked how she thought she would cope being without Dad and brother Michael she said “Dad I cried.”

Clive says that Rotary Youth Exchange was quite a turning point in both their lives and also provided a period of even greater bonding between himself and Hannah whilst Michael was away and then himself and Michael whilst Hannah spent twelve months in Sweden.

The Kerry Faul Memorial was first awarded in 1994 the year following her death and it was Past President Peter Stanton that instigated it following a discussion he had with a female chef working for him at Wodonga Reception Centre.

The award has seen many magnificent men and women benefit from it whist remembering the great nurse that Sister Pierpoint was.

From Clive Faul.

To all applicants I would on behalf of the Faul family wish you every success and happiness in life with the wonderful and rewarding profession that you are embracing. We would also like to thank the Rotary Club of Wodonga West for remembering the life of Kerry Faul in this manner.

Sincerely,

Clive, Michael and Hannah Faul.