John Chick

A Tribute to John Chick

John Chick was a country lad,

But a city education he had.

He went to school in Adelaide

And with relatives he stayed.

Then he went to university,

Studying science in its diversity.

He got a job in bacteriology

In a Sydney hospital laboratory.

He met nurse Margaret Anderson there,

Who his future life would share.

She took him to the local church,

Which helped him him in his spiritual search.

He studied further, added letters to his name;

A GP then a psychiatrist he became.

My memories go back a long way;

The earliest ones I can say My Dad was always there

Our family life to share.

We lived in several different places,

Many memories of different faces.

Dad taught me many skills,

He worked and paid the bills.

Back to Adelaide we came;

We knew our neighbours all by name.

Dad practised his psychiatric career

And went to conferences far and near.

On weekends he took his leisure;

Time with family he did treasure.  

Respite from stressful work he was seeking;

He studied other languages' writing and speaking,

Art classes, and creative writing too

And he wrote poems, more than a few.

In his school band he had played the fife.

He played piano for most of his life.

I've many memories of his music;

He played records including opera and classic.

Holidays were a lot of driving

When we were in New South Wales arriving.

Going up mountains with lots of bends

Or catching up with lifelong friends:

Baikies, Vineys, Smiths and others,

Our cousins and their fathers and mothers.

In South Australia, holidays too:

Port Noarlunga, Port Elliot, to name just two.

With family or friends on outings we went

And days swimming at the beach we spent.

Matraville, Telopea and Drummoyne are a few

Of the many churches we went to,

Then Glen Osmond, Knightsbridge, Flinders Street.

Lots of friendly people to meet.

Dad made a contribution wherever he went

His life in helping others he spent.

I'm thankful for memories of my Dad;

To have been his daughter I'm very glad.  

By Heather Love August 2023