Madge Phillips (Helmer)
Image: Madge Phillips
FatherNils Helmer b. 1880
Pedigree

Birth, Death, Marriage

Rosalind Madge Helmer was born on 17 December 1924 in Mooroopna, Victoria.1 
She married Reginald Phillips, son of Thomas James Phillips and Irene Gladys 'Sis' McDonald, on 29 March 1948 in Mooroopna, Victoria.2,3 
She died on 13 October 2016 in Mooroopna, Victoria, at age 91.4 

Family

Reginald Phillips b. 3 Aug 1924, d. 9 Aug 1995
Children
ChartsCampbell, John, descendant chart
McDonald, Archibald, descendant chart
O'Loughlin, Michael, descendant chart
Phillips, James, descendant chart
Steer, Edward, descendant chart

Story

Reg & Madge Meet - Opposites Attract?
Reg and Madge met at a New Years Day sports carnival in Shepparton. The mainly athletics and cycling annual fundraising event was held at Deakin Reserve and attracted a large crowd. Tom Phillips, through the Hotel Australia, ran the liquor booth and Reg and his brothers served the beer.

So began the unlikely relationship between talkative Reg, Shepparton and Carlton football supporter, Catholic and working at his father's pub, and shy Madge, Mooroopna and Geelong football supporter, Methodist and non-drinker.1,5
 
Rene recalls: When at the swimming hole in Shepp, near the bridge to Mooroopna, Reg once said to me 'See that girl over there with the nice swimsuit on - she looks nice, doesn't she?'. I said 'Yes'. Reg said 'She's from Mooroopna. I'm going to marry her'. And he did.6

 
The couple announced their engagement in Easter 1947 and planned to marry during Easter 1948. In preparation, Madge converted to Catholicism.
Reg and I were engaged at Easter in 1947, we married at Easter in 1948 and our first child, Michael was born at Easter in 1949. Easter has always been a good time for me. [Madge Phillips]1,7

 
A month after their engagement, Reg and Madge holidayed with friends Murray and Myra Slee at Mt Buffalo.8
Madge Helmer & Reg Phillips, Myra & Murray Slee, Mt Buffalo, May 1947
Image: Suzanne Cheshire
Madge Helmer & Reg Phillips, Mt Buffalo, May 1947
Image: Suzanne Cheshire
Reg Phillips & Madge Helmer, Mt Buffalo, May 1947
Image: Suzanne Cheshire
Myra & Murray Slee, Reg Phillips & Madge Helmer in the snow at Mt Buffalo, May 1947
Image: Suzanne Cheshire
Marriage and Family
Rosalind Madge Helmer and Reginald Phillips were married at St Mary's church in Mooroopna on Easter Monday, 29 March 1948. They had nine children.3,2
Reg & Madge Phillips (Helmer), Mar 1948
Image: Rene Barnes
Rosalind Madge Phillips (Helmer)
Image: Don & Marion Phillips
Rosalind Madge Phillips (Helmer), unknown, Irene Phillips, unknown, Mar 1948
Reg & Madge (Helmer) Phillips, Mar 1948
Image: Madge Phillips
Image: Shepparton Advertiser
Madge had three attendants, her sister Merlyn Helmer, Reg's sister Rene, and friend Shirley Peate.
Reg had Jack as best man with Laurie and Murray Slee as groomsmen.3
 
When they were first married, Reg and Madge lived in the Hotel Australia in Shepparton where Reg was working. Between the births of second child Susan and third Robyn, the family moved into 40 Maude St which would remain the family home for over 50 years.

The children attended St Brendan's primary school. For secondary school, the girls attended Sacred Heart College and the boys attended St Colman's College on the other side of Knight St. The eldest, Michael, attended Assumption College in Kilmore for a time.1
Sue, Reg, Robyn & Michael Phillips
Image: Reg Phillips
Reg Phillips and the kids, Dec 1962
Image: Madge Phillips
Religion
Since Madge's conversion to Catholicism prior to her marriage to Reg, their Catholic faith has been very important to them.

And so, after being a late recruit to the Catholic faith, I think Mum may have been one of the Churches best players. Apart from providing the obligatory large family, we know that Mum had a great and unwavering faith in God and knew that she had an eternal life waiting for her on the other side. [Chris Phillips]9,1

Sport and Recreation
Reg and Madge were both keen golfers.10,1
Reg Phillips
Image: Madge Phillips
Reg was a keen punter. We had a trotter and would go to the Inter Dominion race each year in Lloyd Wright's plane with other friends including Father Connell who would sprinkle holy water over the horse - but it still didn't win. [Madge Phillips]11
 
Michael's Car Accident 
On 17 October 1970, Michael was a passenger in a car in which the driver lost control and hit a pole. The car was heading east along Rea St when a right turn was attempted at the T intersection and the car hit a telephone pole on the passenger side where Michael was sitting.12,13
 
After intensive care in Mooroopna hospital, Michael was transferred to Melbourne for two brain operations before returning to Mooroopna. His injuries left him hospitalised and unable to communicate. Madge and Reg were frequent visitors until his death in 1975.1,14
 
Health Problems
Throughout all this and up until her passing, Mum had medical ailments to deal with which she did with very little fuss or bother and certainly without complaining. This included being agoraphobic, losing a kidney between the births of Jane and Reg, several rounds of open heart surgery, an aneurism, beating leukaemia and several other potential life threatening ailments.
....
Mum had this strange problem whereby, when she was coming out of the anaesthetic, she would abuse in the most foul and unladylike language, any doctor or nurse in earshot. She would be aware that she had done this and it would cause her great embarrassment. So much so that she would spend the remainder of her stay in hospital apologising to any hospital employee who entered her room. [Chris Phillips (eulogy)]1

 
Rosalind Madge Phillips died at Rodney Park Village in Mooroopna on 13 October 2016, aged 91.4
 
PHILLIPS (Helmer), Rosalind Madge "Madge"
Of Shepparton.
Passed away peacefully on Thursday. October 13, 2016.
Aged 91 years.
—Dearly loved wife of Reg (dec), much loved mother and mother-in-law of Michael (dec), Susan, Robyn, Kerri and Greg, Tim and Debbie, Chris and Lisa, Jane, Reg (Jnr), Will and Colleen, loved Nan of 14 and loved great-Nan of 7.15
 

Citations

  1. [S551] Madge Phillips, eulogy, document, 19 October 2016.
  2. [S270] Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, registry and index, Reginald Phillips and 'Rosalind Marge' Helmer entry, marriage registration no. 4296, 1948.
  3. [S201] 'Easter weddings celebrated: Bridal gown of Swiss organdie worn by Miss Madge Helmer', Shepparton Advertiser, 1914-1953, newspaper, Thomas Pettit and William Callender, 2 April 1948, p. 9, viewed 8 August 2017, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/169558527
  4. [S194] William Phillips, personal communication, 13 October 2016.
  5. [S201] 'Sports carnival profit £405', Shepparton Advertiser, 1914-1953, newspaper, Thomas Pettit and William Callender, 16 April 1948, p. 1, viewed 20 January 2020, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/169558825
  6. [S15] Irene Barnes, personal communication, 4 December 2013.
  7. [S563] Salt of the Earth: Inspirational stories of Mooroopna & Ardmona women, Mooroopna Education & Activity Centre, 2016.
  8. [S562] Sue Cheshire, personal communication, 19 December 2014.
  9. [S21] Lorraine Phillips, personal communication.
  10. [S263] 'Farewell to one of nature's gentlemen', Shepparton News, 11 August 1995, p. 17.
  11. [S563] 'Madge Phillips (née Helmer)', Salt of the Earth: Inspirational stories of Mooroopna & Ardmona women, Mooroopna Education & Activity Centre, 2016, pp. 45-46.
  12. [S215] Trevor J Phillips, personal communication, 10 July 2014.
  13. [S289] Jane Murray, personal communication, 28 August 2014.
  14. [S171] '$100,000 for a broken life', The Age, 1854-, newspaper, 14 December 1971, p. 1, https://news.google.com/newspapers
  15. [S18] 'Deaths: Phillips (Helmer)', Shepparton News, 1877-, newspaper, Roy McPherson, 14 October 2016, viewed October 2016.