Farewell to a grand Pymble lady

It is with great sadness that the College acknowledges the passing of a dear friend of the Pymble community, Mrs Alison Hale (Nield, 1943), aged 91.

Alison was a much-loved Boarder at the College from 1939 to 1943 and upheld the roles of School Prefect and Senior Marden House Prefect in her leaving year. A vibrant and active member of many clubs and activities, including the Comfort Branch and Netting Club established as part of the war effort, she is fondly remembered walking the length of the Colonnade loaded up with knitted khaki-coloured scarves for our soldiers at war – while still knitting.

After leaving Pymble, which was then known as Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Alison trained and worked as a stenographer and left Australia to work in England in the early 1950s.

She also upheld the roles of Ex-Students’ Union President from 1961 to 1962 and ESU Secretary and was a regular organiser of reunions, which she attended with great joy to share fond memories of her time at the College.

Alison married Alban Hale in 1962 and lived in Brisbane until his death in 1970, after which time she returned to live and work in Sydney.

She gave her time and loyalty to the College with grace and a smile on her face, most recently in her position as Secretary to the College Council from 1981 to 2009, and attending several key College events to commemorate the Centenary of the College. The Alison Hale Meeting Room in the Administration Centre was named in her honour in 2010 and features her portrait.

Alison, who was known to her loved ones as “Sass” or “Sassie”, lived up to her name but died peacefully on Friday 13 July 2018. She was the devoted daughter of Jessie Florence and Ernest Marland, the loving wife of Alban (deceased), beloved sister of Jimmy and Lyn (deceased), and sister-in-law of Shirley and Arthur (deceased). She was an adored fairy godmother to her nieces and nephews Gina, Roderick (deceased), Jane, Bruce (deceased), Sally, Liza, Rowena and Jen, and to her great nieces and nephews Kristy, Naomi, Scott, David, Bryn and Chloe. To the end, she lived by the motto “If it’s to be, it’s up to me”.

The College honoured Alison with a eulogy at the annual Commemoration Day Service on Sunday 29 July in the War Memorial Chapel at Pymble.