Newspaper Article 1999 – Lifetime devoted to musical entertainment

Lifetime devoted to musical entertainment

OBITUARY

ROGER MORONEY

After a lifetime devoted to providing musical entertainment for young and old, the ivories on Rose Mardon’s faithful piano are finally still – its strings silent.

In her 99th year, Wairoa-born Mrs Mardon, QSM, died in Napier last Saturday and brought to a close a colourful life of providing music, and carrying out charitable work, throughout the country.

Her last concert typified her devotion to entertaining people through music. She played for the elderly residents of the Elmwood House residential home in Napier.

She was 98 years old.

Mrs Mardon, then Roseanna Wilson, got her first taste of the keyboard when she was nine years old. Her father imported a Richard Lipp piano from England and she immediately showed promise at the keys.

She played for dances and socials around the Wairoa area for many years and was an accompanist to the silent movies at one of Sir Robert Kerridge’s earliest cinemas, the Gaiety.

She entertained aboard the Aorangi during a voyage to Canada in 1929 and three years later married Bill Mardon, an accountant in the Public Works. His work took the family all over the country from Dunedin in the south to Wellington, Auckland and Whangarei – before settling in Napier in 1947. In every town they lived she played for hospitals, rest homes and theatrical groups. And everywhere they went, Rose took her faithful old piano.

She played for the troops who went off to two world wars, and played for those who returned.

In 1954 she was appointed musical director of the Napier Frivolity Minstrels, a position she held for four years before stepping down. But she returned, with her able and willing piano, in 1971. She carried on playing for the elderly, those in hospital, variety concerts and with the singing groups she formed – she played anywhere she could to provide enjoyment. Her tireless work earned her a Napier Citizens Award as well as a QSM, both of which she was immensely proud.

She is survived by her sons Charlie and Peter – and her piano, which is now in the proud hands of Peter in Wellington.

Photo caption – ROSE MARDON