Noelene Gilbert (nee Clarkson) Cook

Noelene is such special person and real good friend and I am going to miss her so very much Jolene

Thank you for streaming that lovely service. What a fitting tribute to a wonderful lady. Rest in peace Noelene. Lots of love David and Tracy

I always remember when Gran and Pop visited us growing up; we were always greeted with warm smiles and big hugs. Gran would always bring us books on her visits, and I still cherish the very first one she ever gave me. Due to the distance after moving to Australia, I didn't get to talk to her as much as I would have liked, but her warm smiles will be very much missed.

So many lovely memories of growing up with my sister Noelene. When I was younger, I always felt warm and cared for when I stayed with you. You came and watched me perform with my Brownie pack and my Sunday school class for a concert at the Salvation Army Hall. When I started work, you helped me to make a very fashionable coat. With your busy family you still found the time to give to others. You introduced me to Scouting, and Gang-Show. As an older adult we got to spend time together with other family members at Baden Powell fellowship weekends which were always fun. Your boys were also a big part of my life when they were young. So many things to be grateful for. So many more memories. The last time we met, we laughed together. Rest in peace my gentle sister. You are always in my heart.

Noelene was such a nice friend and neighbour.. I will miss my little visits with her .My thoughts are with the family

Sorry to hear of the passing of Aunty Noeline, we will be thinking of you all on Monday when you celebrate her life. Love Paul and Katrina

There is no one in the world quite as special as one’s grandmother. Gran taught us life skills in a way that stirred envy in the eyes of others. She had a way of holding you that brought back sweet memories to our father. ​I will never forget the first memory I can recall with my Gran; it lives on in my parents’ wedding video. I remember how I wailed and cried for my parents’ attention, but there was my Gran—holding me, comforting me, and feeding me raisins. My Gran never did like giving my siblings or me sweet treats; it was always fruit or books. ​I also remember, during my first or second year of high school, when she gave me a word search book. I looked at her, completely puzzled, for there were no pictures in it—no handsome princes or beautiful princesses. My Grandma kept it real; she taught me there was more to life than fairy tales. I loved how enthusiastic she became about my learning, even though it is no secret that I was never an enthusiastic student during my school years. ​Despite school being detestable, I always enjoyed learning from my Gran; throughout my childhood, there were few things I really looked forward to. Yet, my grandparents’ visits were something I have always treasured, and I feel so blessed to have the memories, the letters, and the cards to look back through. ​The last memory I have of my Gran was a few months ago (before she gave up on the internet entirely). She spoke of how blessed she was to have had such a beautiful family; she felt happy to have known her grandchildren and to have met her great-grandchildren. Listening to her, I felt special knowing she loved us so much. I learned that distance does not matter; all that matters is how much you love your family and show them you care through the effort you make to reach out to them. ​There was still so much to learn from her, and she will be greatly missed. In memory of my Grandma, I, also, feel blessed to have had a Gran like her, who loved unconditionally, and I pray that I might follow the loving footsteps she left behind.

From the moment I became aware that I was part of a family of siblings, it was Noelene I noticed first. As the eldest, she naturally took on the role of a third parent. It was Noelene who saw me safely to school each morning and back home again in the afternoons. I remember kicking a stone along the street beside her, asking questions about what school would be like, and she was always reassuring in her replies. Noelene had a natural mothering energy that made me feel safe and cared for. It was she who introduced me to the scouting movement. When I joined Cubs at the age of seven, Noelene was “Akela,” the Cub Master. All the Cubs looked up to her, which made me feel immensely proud. I remember a bet she made with me … that I would be married by the time I was 21. If I wasn’t, she promised to buy me a pair of socks—she was that certain. I don’t recall ever receiving those socks, but it didn’t really matter. Life had its own timing. When I eventually married at 38 and had children, we would visit Noelene and Sunny during our music tours around the country. She loved the kids deeply and was always kind to them—both my girls remember her well. In more recent times, I spent a lot of time with Noelene, supporting her through the personal changes she was facing. We often reflected on those early days when she cared for me, and I know those memories helped bring her a sense of perspective and peace. Her relationship with God was deeply important to her, and through that faith she found the strength to embrace life fully, right to the end, choosing always to be there for family. I will miss you, Noelene. Thank you for being such a meaningful part of my life. May you be blessed with divine love and peace in your afterlife, and on your infinite journey as divine soul.

Noelene was my "Big Sister" in every sense of the word, a trailblazer, a mentor, and a woman of profound faith. As a master seamstress, a dedicated Cub leader, and a woman of high standards, she set a beautiful example for me and all the women in our family of what it means to be capable, diligent, and strong. She was a "carer" at heart, and I will always cherish her gentle nature and her calming influence. Whether she was teaching me the art of a cooking a sunday roast and colouring the pavlova, to arriving with fruit on her visits to see my children . Her life was one of constant contribution and quiet resilience. Noelene walked through life’s challenges with fierce dignity and stayed true to her deep family values until the very end. She was a special soul who loved unconditionally and I will remember her with immense joy. Rest in peace, Noelene. Your legacy of kindness lives on in us all that have spent time with you.

Aunty Noelene, Growing up mostly in Australia, I only got to visit a handful of times as a kid - but you are one of the most vivid people from my childhood. You had this rare quality: a warmth that made everything feel okay, even when nothing particular was wrong. Just being near you, something settled. You were always smiling, always genuinely curious about what was going on, and you had this natural way of building connections that felt real and lasting. And through all of it, there was always a laugh nearby you never lost that lightness. Even as the years passed, you felt like someone who was 25 at heart, who could walk into a room and make everyone in it feel like they mattered. I didn't get to see you enough these last years. Life got complicated in the way it does. But you stayed with me; a reminder of what it looks like to show up for people with your whole self. With love, Scott

My Aunty Noelene was a strong woman who held close her strong values of family, loyalty, kindness, compassion and faith. She was always helping others and, in my case, giving me a yummy recipe for cauliflower pickle when I mentioned I had so much of the vegetable I didn't know what to do with it. She was also very keen to give me insight into her parents and grandparents lives for my research on the family tree, often writing me letters and sending photos. She once told me it's not the dates that are important, but their actions and who they were as people, a comment that I have kept forefront when writing up our family history. I hope I have done her proud. I know she was very excited when I was able to give her the history of her middle name, Gilbert. It made me happy knowing that she now, through that name, had a link to her Great Great Great Grandmother. We all looked up to Aunty Noelene as the matriarch of the wider family, she was always there for guidance and gave her knowledge and love freely. I will miss her.

Apologies from Beverley Hunter and daughter, Sharon.  Fond memories of Noelene's work with her son, Mark in Scouts, and Noelene's help with Sunday School at Sawyers Bay.