Peter John and June Elsie Cooper
| First name | Peter John and June Elsie |
|---|---|
| Last name | Cooper |
| Country of Origin | Great Britain |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | August 196 |
| Submitted by | Sue Slater (nee Cooper) |
Story
Dad was always an adventurer. Intelligent, creative and bold he loved travel. He gladly took his family on the amazing adventure immigrating to Australia. With his beloved wife June and six children – Sheila, Susan, Sally, twins Robert and Gillian and baby Sharon – they set sail on the ship Ellinis where we had amazing adventures, lots of fun and food.
Mum’s sister Mary (dec.) and her family lived in Cairns in Far North Queensland had sponsored us and that is where we went to live. It was humid, hot and wet but unperturbed we rode our bikes to school and played in flooded creeks. Surviving cyclones and floods we all thrived. Dad started work driving taxis though soon became successful in electrical sales in the Cairns Regional Electricity Board. He undertook infomercials and in house cooking demonstrations so versatile was he.
Setting up his own electrical business was his dream and he did this successfully until an unavoidable catastrophe set them on the verge of bankruptcy. Forced to move into a caravan on the Atherton Tablelands, Dad and Mum started all over again once more successfully creating a popular restaurant working twelve to sixteen hour days seven days a week.
Finally retiring after setting up and selling over five businesses in Queensland they moved to Middleton on the coast of South Australia. Their daughter Sue lived in Adelaide.
After battling a stroke Dad passed away in March 2005.
An unforgettable and precious memory I have is all six siblings gathered in his hospital room with Mum, having a picnic, reliving our memories and telling our stories. Some of us had not been together for fifteen years.
Love you Dad and Mum, thanks for the memories through making difficult but brilliant decisions. Wouldn\’t have had it any other way….. Sue