Who am I?
I was born at 2nd Street Brompton S.A. on the 21st April 1934.
My parents were Colin Keith & Edith Laurence Whiley.
I have 3 sisters Kathleen, Betty, & Margaret (Dec).
On the 2nd May 2005, aged 71, I passed away at my home, where I had lived for the past 30 years.
My name is Dorothy Helena Whiley-Baker.

To family and friends, I was also known as Ma, Dotty, Cuddles, Honey Bunch, Dino or Dorothy the Dinosaur, My little bowling ball, and shorty.
The most common name I answered to was Dot.

I did my schooling at Hindmarsh.
My family, Grandma Weger, Aunty Dot & uncle Jeff were all main influences in my early life.

I had a good relationship with my parents.
I can recall walking 4 mile to school and 4 mile home, rain, hail, or sunshine.
As soon as I arrived home, I would help my mum prepare dinner for the family as well as other chores.

During my teenage years, my sister Kathy and I use to make dates with boys, arrange to meet on Beehive Corner in the city.
While the boys were waiting, my sister and I would jump on the tram and wave to the boys as they went by.

Like my early years, Aunty Dot and Uncle Jeff were also a great influence in my teenage years.

During my second marriage, along came my children.
Colin, Helen, Marlene, Graham, and James.
I spent a lot of time moving and working from dairy farm to dairy farm.
I loved to tell stories about the fun the kids had and what they use to get up to on the farms.

I recall having to go to the high school in which Graham attended for parent teacher night.
When I got home, I was not very happy.
I guess being told that your son was the class clown would have that affect.
I use to enjoy going to the football on Saturdays, with both mum and dad, to watch Graham play
and then spend the rest of the afternoon watching the senior players games.

I enjoyed going for a drive to the beach and also out to the country.
These drives would always be taken with both mum and dad and usually every Sunday.
One beach I loved to go to was Lady Bay.
I can remember James use to run on the seaweed while I helped dad collect shell grit for the chickens he kept.
Quite often I would ask Graham if he would like to go for a drive as well.
Nine times out of ten he would.
We would be driving along the road when all of a sudden I would tell dad to stop the car.
I would then tell Graham to get out, climb through the fence and pick the mushrooms I'd had seen from the road.
This would happen several times during the day.
James use to ask if he could get out and pick the mushrooms but was told no.
When he asked why and he was told that Graham could run faster.
He could never work out what running fast had to do with it.
It was in case the owners turned up and we had to get away in a hurry.
I would use going for a drive for all kinds of reasons.
If it wasn’t to pick mushrooms, it was to try and help bring on labour.
One day we went out for a drive Helen was pregnant and was at the end of her pregnancy. So I told dad to stick to all the bumpy roads as it might help push the baby out.
I had some funny ways of thinking.

I loved my family and enjoyed family life.
I would always look forward to seeing Colin whether it be coming from Victoria to see me, or me going to Victoria to spend time with him and his family.
I did a bit of travelling during my life to see my family.
Whether it would be travelling to Melbourne to see Colin or to Loxton in the Riverland where Helen lived for some time.
It would give me something to talk about for quite some time after.

I cared for both my parents and after mum died dad came to live with us.
He was with us for about nine years.
During the time that dad was with us, late 80’s to early 1990’s, a man by the name of Trevor moved in next door.
I remember telling dad not to invite the neighbours over.
Dad being dad didn’t listen, and invited Trevor over for coffee anyway.
Over time Trevor and I became closer and closer and eventually were married on the 3rd October 1994.
James brought us a magnet that said “Love your neighbour, but don’t get caught” But we did!!
I have never been as happy as I was when I was with Trevor.
I cherished every day I had with Trevor during our 10 year marriage.
I will always be thankful to Trevor for the way he cared for and loved me.

I enjoyed going to Whyalla with Trevor to spend time with his family.
Trevor and I also traveled to Ayers Rock to see Graham and spend Christmas with him and his family.
For many years I would talk about the trip and how Graham had arranged to have prawns whilst they sat and watched the sun set over the rock.

One thing I enjoyed in my life was ten pin bowling.
I bowled twice a week, in 2 leagues from 1985 through to 1994. On a Monday morning, and again, on a Tuesday night.
On Monday mornings I bowled with James and 2 other family members.
The team name was Gutter Gang.
Over the years I was awarded one 1st place, 3 times 2nd place, and 2 times 3rd place trophies. I also received a most improved in team trophy.
During her time with the gutter Gang I received what I would call my most treasured trophy.
It was the horses’ ass for last place. I remember showing everyone who ever visited.
During the Tuesday night league, I bowled with Trevor, Helens Husband Richard and James. I received a trophy for High individual game scratch for rolling a 202 game.
Winning wasn’t everything to me. I didn’t care whether I won or not, I was there to have fun.
During my time bowling on Monday mornings, I was told a joke that I absolutely loved.
It was:
What do you do with a woman’s ass hole?
You pack his lunch and send if off to work.

I had a number of interests and hobbies through my life.
I enjoyed Hobby Tex, gardening, and singing as well as liked country, Irish folk, Honky Tonk and what Dot would describe as sing a long music.

I always had little sayings that I would use. Some of these are:
1. When I couldn't find anything it use to be up the ass end of a black chook.
    No-one ever found that black chook, how ever hard they looked.
2. Oh! go away
3. Choof off
4. Funny bugger aren’t you
5. Funny HA HA
6. You bugger
And the best of all:
You bloody little shit
Now for some reason, James use to always cop that one.

One thing about me was you could always tell when I was feeling Okay because I would be yelling at everyone.

My personality was one of courage and commitment.