JOHN CHRISTOPHER BARLING
23/12/1929 to 24/10/1924
John Christopher Barling was born on December 23rd 1929 the third of four children to Mary Catherine and William John Herbert Barling at Banksia Private Hospital Eaglemont and lived his early life in Montmorency.
He was a brother to Robert (Uncle Buster) , Mary (Aunty Pix ) and Aunty Wendy –John is the last of that generation of our uncles , aunts and partners – our part of the Barling family patriarch now passed to Steven – though it could well have been Jackie – because she was often known as the “little boss” ! John, of course, being the big boss!
After school he completed a Gas Fitter’s apprenticeship and later worked at a number of jobs including at the Gas and Fuel Corporation and in the grain fields of Western Australia helping to pickle wheat – a treatment to reduce the susceptibility to moulds in the soil.
John’s sister Mary had trained as a teacher and had attained a job in Birchip in the Mallee. There she had met and married a local farmer Ross Smith.
Following Mary to Birchip, John had found work with AD Hillgrove, then as a share farmer for Alan Lee.
It was in Birchip that he dropped a 44 gallon drum across his foot that led to an injury to one toe in particular. He returned to Melbourne when the toe required amputation.
It was in his convalescence that he took a particular liking to one of his nurses – and seemingly she to him.
They married on April 10, 1957 in the Rosanna Methodist Church. Their attendants Marg Stevens and Peter Abbott survive them.
It was on their farming property Woongarri that betty and John built their home and then set about filling it, in quick succession, with Steven, Jackie, Peter, Andrew and Tim.
On the farm we ran wheat and sheep, occasional pigs, chickens, ducks and guinea pigs. We had a shearing shed, also used by some neighbours – John a fair shearer until his back gave out. I fondly remember many occasions helping out in the shearing shed.
Betty and John later bought the farm from Alan Lee. And farmed it until 1978 when we sold and moved in to the township of Birchip.
A significant event in the young couple’s lives was the Billy Graham crusades in February 1959.
More than 3 million people – nearly a third of Australia’s 10 million population at the time – attended a 1959 Crusade event around Australia.
At one such crusade event, a young couple, John and Betty, recommitted their lives to the service of Jesus Christ – a pledge they honoured for the rest of their lives and certainly shaped and motivated their engagement with Birchip and surrounding areas.
John as a lay minister for the Methodist Church, Sunday school teacher , Bible study, prayer groups, working for missions – hosting a number of missionaries on their furlough from their postings in Africa, New Guinea and Asia – their slide shows and stories were mesmerizing.
He was also Treasurer for Warracknabeal Easter Convention, Wimmera Victorious Life Convention, for over 30 years. He was awarded a Life membership in November 2000.
The certificate references 1Thessalonians Chapter 1: verse 3 : We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
I think that nicely summarises his outlook and his approach to family, work and community.
Our family holidays were either to visit cousins in Melbourne or to various Christian camps – Cowes on Philip Island over the summer, Warracknabeal at Easter, other occasions to Halls Gap or Belgrave Heights.
Following the move in to Birchip township– John then turned his hand to carpentry and managed to secure a Builder’s Licence - to then take on Peter as an apprentice. Peter would travel to Charlton for his theory, and soon after showing a level of competence – John would lay out the day’s work to Peter and then supervise from the kitchen over an endless cup of tea.
John also served as a scout master, he was on the Birchip Bush Nursing Hospital Committee of Management – and also was conferred with a Life Governorship for his service. He was a Committee member for 28 years 1972-1999. Active committee person and chair of the House Committee and the Building and accreditation Sub-committees, unpaid engineer and works foreman.
It wasn’t that retirement was to be a rest for Betty and John.
Jackie had travelled to the US and worked in nursing in New Hampshire and Vermont. There she developed a series of symptoms that was ultimately diagnosed as Motor Neurone Disease that led to her returning to Melbourne initially, then moving to Birchip with betty and John for assistance and care.
Betty and John’s work supporting Jackie and advocacy work with MND Australia led to an award from the American support organisation .The ALS March of Faces - In America MND is known as ALS Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s Disease ( after a baseball player who contracted the disease. Locally, it may be better known as the disease that Neale Daniher has been affected by.
In 2002 they received an Excellence In Caregiving , ALS Awareness and Advocacy Award –the citation read: for outstanding achievements in caring for and enabling Jackie Williams to continue her efforts in heightening public awareness of ALS /
Together with betty, their life remained one of service.
Continuing mission support for Ukraine and Timor L’Este.
They left Birchip to move down to Bendigo in 2007 – 50 years resident, and thankfully recognised as locals. Initially to Spring Gully in an independent unit, then as there needs increased, firstly to Freedom Aged Care in Kensington and then to Freemasons in Flora Hill, later known as Mecwacare.
They initially attended Bendigo Baptist Church, but more recently attended Holy Trinity Anglican here at Flora Hill until they became too unwell to travel out from their village.
John had a life of service – to family, to community and to His God.
No doubt his motivation was guided by his faith. I came across this quote from George Bernard Shaw that goes some way to summarising his outlook on life:
“This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it what I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”
Rest in everlasting peace John , once again united with betty and Jackie.
He will be elated to see betty, Jackie and extended family and friends , but also to hear these words from the God he served – from Matthew 25:21
His Lord said unto him , well done , thou good and faithful servant : thou hast been faithful over a few things , I will make thee ruler over many things : enter thou , into the joy of thy Lord.