Ida Revel was born in Dundee, Scotland on October 27, 1919.
When she was six, her parents, Isabella and James, made the huge decision to travel halfway around the world, and settle in sunny WA, arriving in Bayswater, where Ida and her brother, Ian, were to enjoy a happy childhood at their home on The Strand.
They both attended Bayswater Primary School, and later, Ida was to attend business college, where as part of her bursary, she filled the inkwells every day.
This was not without drama, and when a neighbour asked her if she would like a job, she decided, at 15, that she had had enough of business college, and accepted the job.
She excelled at clerical work, and gained her junior certificate at night school, but always lamented the fact that she never went to university; an opportunity very few girls would have in those days.
During Ida's teenage years, one of her large group of friends suggested that she have singing lessons, and Ida started training with the legendary Lucie Howell, above Musgroves in Perth.
Her rich, smooth contralto voice was soon to be heard all over Perth concert stages, something she continued until she was 100 years old.
Singing brought so much joy to others, and Ida always said it was the reason for her long, healthy life. Later, Ida was to take up the violin, and loved playing with the Hills Symphony Orchestra.
When one of her grandsons, Stuart MacLeod, achieved fame as a member of Eskimo Joe, she loved to go to his concerts, rocking away in the front row, and was especially thrilled when they performed with the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra. She told the conductor, backstage, that he could count on her to provide a second violin, if one was ever needed!
After a break-up with a boyfriend, when she was 20, her mother told her to join the tennis club and stop being so gloomy. There, she met a handsome boy from Victoria Park. Neither of them was much good at tennis, but the score was love all, after Les Smith arrived at her 21st birthday, with a gold heart locket on a chain, and a song he had written himself.
When Les enlisted to train as a soldier, in the early days of World War II, he took the opportunity before he left, to drop to one knee during the lunch hour rush in the Supreme Court gardens and propose.
Ida accepted happily and they married on March 14, 1942.
After the war, they settled in Kojonup, where Les was the postmaster, living in a galvanised iron building they called home. Sadly, their first born, Malcolm Sidney, died after only a few days, and when Ida became pregnant again, they moved back to Bayswater, to live with Ella and Jim, while Les rebuilt a four-bedroom house they had transported from the Goldfields, on land in Kalamunda.
As a reward for living so far from "civilisation", they gave themselves the luxury of a telephone . . . Kalamunda 2322!
Twelve very happy years were spent in Kalamunda, where the social life revolved around the stage, the piano and the church.
There was always a rehearsal for something happening in the house on Stanhope Road.
Les wrote plays and pantomimes and Ida often had the starring role.
Two more little songbirds were born during these happy years, Robyn in 1950 and Carol in 1955.
In 1959, after Ida attended the Billy Graham Crusade, she went home and discussed with Les her dream of living a life of service, and not long after, she saw an advertisement for the administrator of the Mofflyn Children's Homes. Les applied and took up the position, moving the family from the Kalamunda bush to the sandy soils of Victoria Park. It was a bit of a culture shock, but with their usual enthusiasm, Ida and Les served the less fortunate children of WA with compassion and energy.
Ida sang her way through hundreds of fundraising concerts, and her beautiful voice brought joy to audiences everywhere. After Les retired in the early 80s, they bought a home in Darlington, where they soon became part of this vibrant, artistic community. They also took their new-found freedom as an opportunity to travel back to England and Scotland to explore their countries of origin. When the garden became too much work for Les, they moved into Darlington Glen, a community-owned retirement village, where they lived happily until Les died. Ida was wonderfully supported by her large group of friends and her church community.
Her 100th birthday was an enormous event, with many parties and cakes, and letters from the Queen, the Prime Minister, the Governor, the Premier and many more dignitaries. Ida continued to live on Pine Terrace until her health and her doctor made her reluctantly decide to go into care at Parry House in Lesmurdie, although she soon saw what a wonderful decision this was, and she especially loved the singing afternoons, where her voice could be heard above all the others!
Ida continued to bring joy and happiness to both staff and residents at Parry House, and she died peacefully on August 3, reunited with her Les and her God, after a life dedicated to service and singing.
She will be remembered by all who crossed her path.
By Nicki deHoog
When she was six, her parents, Isabella and James, made the huge decision to travel halfway around the world, and settle in sunny WA, arriving in Bayswater, where Ida and her brother, Ian, were to enjoy a happy childhood at their home on The Strand.
They both attended Bayswater Primary School, and later, Ida was to attend business college, where as part of her bursary, she filled the inkwells every day.
This was not without drama, and when a neighbour asked her if she would like a job, she decided, at 15, that she had had enough of business college, and accepted the job.
She excelled at clerical work, and gained her junior certificate at night school, but always lamented the fact that she never went to university; an opportunity very few girls would have in those days.
During Ida's teenage years, one of her large group of friends suggested that she have singing lessons, and Ida started training with the legendary Lucie Howell, above Musgroves in Perth.
Her rich, smooth contralto voice was soon to be heard all over Perth concert stages, something she continued until she was 100 years old.
Singing brought so much joy to others, and Ida always said it was the reason for her long, healthy life. Later, Ida was to take up the violin, and loved playing with the Hills Symphony Orchestra.
When one of her grandsons, Stuart MacLeod, achieved fame as a member of Eskimo Joe, she loved to go to his concerts, rocking away in the front row, and was especially thrilled when they performed with the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra. She told the conductor, backstage, that he could count on her to provide a second violin, if one was ever needed!
After a break-up with a boyfriend, when she was 20, her mother told her to join the tennis club and stop being so gloomy. There, she met a handsome boy from Victoria Park. Neither of them was much good at tennis, but the score was love all, after Les Smith arrived at her 21st birthday, with a gold heart locket on a chain, and a song he had written himself.
When Les enlisted to train as a soldier, in the early days of World War II, he took the opportunity before he left, to drop to one knee during the lunch hour rush in the Supreme Court gardens and propose.
Ida accepted happily and they married on March 14, 1942.
After the war, they settled in Kojonup, where Les was the postmaster, living in a galvanised iron building they called home. Sadly, their first born, Malcolm Sidney, died after only a few days, and when Ida became pregnant again, they moved back to Bayswater, to live with Ella and Jim, while Les rebuilt a four-bedroom house they had transported from the Goldfields, on land in Kalamunda.
As a reward for living so far from "civilisation", they gave themselves the luxury of a telephone . . . Kalamunda 2322!
Twelve very happy years were spent in Kalamunda, where the social life revolved around the stage, the piano and the church.
There was always a rehearsal for something happening in the house on Stanhope Road.
Les wrote plays and pantomimes and Ida often had the starring role.
Two more little songbirds were born during these happy years, Robyn in 1950 and Carol in 1955.
In 1959, after Ida attended the Billy Graham Crusade, she went home and discussed with Les her dream of living a life of service, and not long after, she saw an advertisement for the administrator of the Mofflyn Children's Homes. Les applied and took up the position, moving the family from the Kalamunda bush to the sandy soils of Victoria Park. It was a bit of a culture shock, but with their usual enthusiasm, Ida and Les served the less fortunate children of WA with compassion and energy.
Ida sang her way through hundreds of fundraising concerts, and her beautiful voice brought joy to audiences everywhere. After Les retired in the early 80s, they bought a home in Darlington, where they soon became part of this vibrant, artistic community. They also took their new-found freedom as an opportunity to travel back to England and Scotland to explore their countries of origin. When the garden became too much work for Les, they moved into Darlington Glen, a community-owned retirement village, where they lived happily until Les died. Ida was wonderfully supported by her large group of friends and her church community.
Her 100th birthday was an enormous event, with many parties and cakes, and letters from the Queen, the Prime Minister, the Governor, the Premier and many more dignitaries. Ida continued to live on Pine Terrace until her health and her doctor made her reluctantly decide to go into care at Parry House in Lesmurdie, although she soon saw what a wonderful decision this was, and she especially loved the singing afternoons, where her voice could be heard above all the others!
Ida continued to bring joy and happiness to both staff and residents at Parry House, and she died peacefully on August 3, reunited with her Les and her God, after a life dedicated to service and singing.
She will be remembered by all who crossed her path.
By Nicki deHoog
Ida Revel was born in Dundee, Scotland on October 27, 1919.
When she was six, her parents, Isabella and James, made the huge decision to travel halfway around the world, and settle in sunny WA, arriving in Bayswater, where Ida and her brother, Ian, were to enjoy a happy childhood at their home on The Strand.
They both attended Bayswater Primary School, and later, Ida was to attend business college, where as part of her bursary, she filled the inkwells every day.
This was not without drama, and when a neighbour asked her if she would like a job, she decided, at 15, that she had had enough of business college, and accepted the job.
She excelled at clerical work, and gained her junior certificate at night school, but always lamented the fact that she never went to university; an opportunity very few girls would have in those days.
During Ida's teenage years, one of her large group of friends suggested that she have singing lessons, and Ida started training with the legendary Lucie Howell, above Musgroves in Perth.
Her rich, smooth contralto voice was soon to be heard all over Perth concert stages, something she continued until she was 100 years old.
Singing brought so much joy to others, and Ida always said it was the reason for her long, healthy life. Later, Ida was to take up the violin, and loved playing with the Hills Symphony Orchestra.
When one of her grandsons, Stuart MacLeod, achieved fame as a member of Eskimo Joe, she loved to go to his concerts, rocking away in the front row, and was especially thrilled when they performed with the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra. She told the conductor, backstage, that he could count on her to provide a second violin, if one was ever needed!
After a break-up with a boyfriend, when she was 20, her mother told her to join the tennis club and stop being so gloomy. There, she met a handsome boy from Victoria Park. Neither of them was much good at tennis, but the score was love all, after Les Smith arrived at her 21st birthday, with a gold heart locket on a chain, and a song he had written himself.
When Les enlisted to train as a soldier, in the early days of World War II, he took the opportunity before he left, to drop to one knee during the lunch hour rush in the Supreme Court gardens and propose.
Ida accepted happily and they married on March 14, 1942.
After the war, they settled in Kojonup, where Les was the postmaster, living in a galvanised iron building they called home. Sadly, their first born, Malcolm Sidney, died after only a few days, and when Ida became pregnant again, they moved back to Bayswater, to live with Ella and Jim, while Les rebuilt a four-bedroom house they had transported from the Goldfields, on land in Kalamunda.
As a reward for living so far from "civilisation", they gave themselves the luxury of a telephone . . . Kalamunda 2322!
Twelve very happy years were spent in Kalamunda, where the social life revolved around the stage, the piano and the church.
There was always a rehearsal for something happening in the house on Stanhope Road.
Les wrote plays and pantomimes and Ida often had the starring role.
Two more little songbirds were born during these happy years, Robyn in 1950 and Carol in 1955.
In 1959, after Ida attended the Billy Graham Crusade, she went home and discussed with Les her dream of living a life of service, and not long after, she saw an advertisement for the administrator of the Mofflyn Children's Homes. Les applied and took up the position, moving the family from the Kalamunda bush to the sandy soils of Victoria Park. It was a bit of a culture shock, but with their usual enthusiasm, Ida and Les served the less fortunate children of WA with compassion and energy.
Ida sang her way through hundreds of fundraising concerts, and her beautiful voice brought joy to audiences everywhere. After Les retired in the early 80s, they bought a home in Darlington, where they soon became part of this vibrant, artistic community. They also took their new-found freedom as an opportunity to travel back to England and Scotland to explore their countries of origin. When the garden became too much work for Les, they moved into Darlington Glen, a community-owned retirement village, where they lived happily until Les died. Ida was wonderfully supported by her large group of friends and her church community.
Her 100th birthday was an enormous event, with many parties and cakes, and letters from the Queen, the Prime Minister, the Governor, the Premier and many more dignitaries. Ida continued to live on Pine Terrace until her health and her doctor made her reluctantly decide to go into care at Parry House in Lesmurdie, although she soon saw what a wonderful decision this was, and she especially loved the singing afternoons, where her voice could be heard above all the others!
Ida continued to bring joy and happiness to both staff and residents at Parry House, and she died peacefully on August 3, reunited with her Les and her God, after a life dedicated to service and singing.
She will be remembered by all who crossed her path.
By Nicki deHoog
When she was six, her parents, Isabella and James, made the huge decision to travel halfway around the world, and settle in sunny WA, arriving in Bayswater, where Ida and her brother, Ian, were to enjoy a happy childhood at their home on The Strand.
They both attended Bayswater Primary School, and later, Ida was to attend business college, where as part of her bursary, she filled the inkwells every day.
This was not without drama, and when a neighbour asked her if she would like a job, she decided, at 15, that she had had enough of business college, and accepted the job.
She excelled at clerical work, and gained her junior certificate at night school, but always lamented the fact that she never went to university; an opportunity very few girls would have in those days.
During Ida's teenage years, one of her large group of friends suggested that she have singing lessons, and Ida started training with the legendary Lucie Howell, above Musgroves in Perth.
Her rich, smooth contralto voice was soon to be heard all over Perth concert stages, something she continued until she was 100 years old.
Singing brought so much joy to others, and Ida always said it was the reason for her long, healthy life. Later, Ida was to take up the violin, and loved playing with the Hills Symphony Orchestra.
When one of her grandsons, Stuart MacLeod, achieved fame as a member of Eskimo Joe, she loved to go to his concerts, rocking away in the front row, and was especially thrilled when they performed with the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra. She told the conductor, backstage, that he could count on her to provide a second violin, if one was ever needed!
After a break-up with a boyfriend, when she was 20, her mother told her to join the tennis club and stop being so gloomy. There, she met a handsome boy from Victoria Park. Neither of them was much good at tennis, but the score was love all, after Les Smith arrived at her 21st birthday, with a gold heart locket on a chain, and a song he had written himself.
When Les enlisted to train as a soldier, in the early days of World War II, he took the opportunity before he left, to drop to one knee during the lunch hour rush in the Supreme Court gardens and propose.
Ida accepted happily and they married on March 14, 1942.
After the war, they settled in Kojonup, where Les was the postmaster, living in a galvanised iron building they called home. Sadly, their first born, Malcolm Sidney, died after only a few days, and when Ida became pregnant again, they moved back to Bayswater, to live with Ella and Jim, while Les rebuilt a four-bedroom house they had transported from the Goldfields, on land in Kalamunda.
As a reward for living so far from "civilisation", they gave themselves the luxury of a telephone . . . Kalamunda 2322!
Twelve very happy years were spent in Kalamunda, where the social life revolved around the stage, the piano and the church.
There was always a rehearsal for something happening in the house on Stanhope Road.
Les wrote plays and pantomimes and Ida often had the starring role.
Two more little songbirds were born during these happy years, Robyn in 1950 and Carol in 1955.
In 1959, after Ida attended the Billy Graham Crusade, she went home and discussed with Les her dream of living a life of service, and not long after, she saw an advertisement for the administrator of the Mofflyn Children's Homes. Les applied and took up the position, moving the family from the Kalamunda bush to the sandy soils of Victoria Park. It was a bit of a culture shock, but with their usual enthusiasm, Ida and Les served the less fortunate children of WA with compassion and energy.
Ida sang her way through hundreds of fundraising concerts, and her beautiful voice brought joy to audiences everywhere. After Les retired in the early 80s, they bought a home in Darlington, where they soon became part of this vibrant, artistic community. They also took their new-found freedom as an opportunity to travel back to England and Scotland to explore their countries of origin. When the garden became too much work for Les, they moved into Darlington Glen, a community-owned retirement village, where they lived happily until Les died. Ida was wonderfully supported by her large group of friends and her church community.
Her 100th birthday was an enormous event, with many parties and cakes, and letters from the Queen, the Prime Minister, the Governor, the Premier and many more dignitaries. Ida continued to live on Pine Terrace until her health and her doctor made her reluctantly decide to go into care at Parry House in Lesmurdie, although she soon saw what a wonderful decision this was, and she especially loved the singing afternoons, where her voice could be heard above all the others!
Ida continued to bring joy and happiness to both staff and residents at Parry House, and she died peacefully on August 3, reunited with her Les and her God, after a life dedicated to service and singing.
She will be remembered by all who crossed her path.
By Nicki deHoog
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
