A chronology for John Joseph Ray
My bio is rather unsystematic so I give hereunder the actual dates (in order) of some things in my life. Some dates are approximated
The beach at Etty Bay outside Innisfail where I experienced many school and church picnics during my childfhood
1943 Born in Innisfail hospital by the Johnstone river
1944 Baptised into the Presbyterian church
1947 Aged 4 with sister Jacqueline Margaret Ray
Her mother dressed Jackie is an impeccably feminine way
1953 Completed grade 4 at Innisfail State Rural School
1956 Enrolled at Sheridan st primary school in Cairns (part of the High School)
1957 Passed the "Scholarship" (Final primary school) exam with overall mark of 79.7% -- December
1959 Passed the Junior exam with As in English, German and geography
1960 Became a junior clerk at the Dept. of Public Works, Cairns -- 26 Feb.
1961 Resigned from the PWD -- 28 Nov
1962 Got a job as a shop assistant at Gearco in George St Brisbane
1963 Passed the Senior exam with As in English & German
1963 Became a communicant at Ann St church
1963 Met my first girlfriend -- Janet
1964 Enrolled in B.A. at U.Q. (part time initially)
1964 Joined Dept. of Customs & Excise -- 25 May
1964 13th Dec. Obtained a reference from Rev. Percy Pearson of the Ann St. church. The text of the reference is here
1966 Resigned from Customs -- 22 March
1966 Enlisted in the CMF in Bris. -- 6 May
1967 December. Wrote my first computer program in FORTRAN. Instructor Gail Sonnkila.
Gail and the computer we used
1968 Lived with Joyce Hooper at Rozelle
1968 Granted B.A.
Holding the selected works of Ivan Petrovich Pavlov
1968 Discharged from the Army as Sergeant in Sydney 31 August
1969 Met Nola Holland nee Boyle
1969 Rented a terrace house in Wentworth Pk. Rd., Glebe, in Sydney. Joined by John Henningham and Alfred Croucher
1969 Granted M.A. by Uni Syd. -- 23 Sept.
1969 Enrolled in Ph.D. at Macquarie Uni -- March
1970 Teaching at Cerdon college
1971 Became a lecturer in Sociology at Uni NSW
1973 Married Dawn Nola Baker, nee Jones -- 9 Feb
1974 Awarded a Doctorate of Philosophy by Macquarie Uni -- 16 May. My age 31
1974 My book "Conservatism as heresy" published
1975 Accepted as a member of the American Psychological association -- Jan. 30
1976 Decree nisi for marriage to Dawn -- 29 Apr.
1976 Marriage to Joyce Lipp (aka Joy Petrie) --15 May. My age 33
At Peregian beach on honeymoon with Joy. She had a remrkable waist for a lady in her 40s
1977 Sabbatical in Britain. Joined the British Conservative party in March. Visited Glyndebourne with Susan Brooks
1978 Did a survey in South Africa
1980. A brief clean shaven interlude -- with a lovely lady, 2nd wife Joy. I was aged 37
1983 Resigned from Uni NSW -- Feb
1983 Met Jenny Lucas 5 Mar. My age 39
1984 Joined the National party, Qld. -- 12 March
1985 Decree nisi for marriage to Joyce Lipp
1985 Bought a Jade Green Ford Laser for $7,000 from Jubilee Motors, Fivedock in Sydney -- 25 Feb.
1985 Married Jenny Lucas -- 30 Nov.
1987 Son Joseph born. My age 44
1990 I buy an Amiga computer
1992 Jenny left me. Moved to Deshon st.
1993 on 21st May I met Carol Averil Ward (nee Lowry) for a relationship that lasted 2 years, but with lots of ups and downs
1995 Decree nisi for marriage to Jenny -- 3 Apr.
1995 Met Kathryn Perry -- 3 September
1995 Married Kathryn Margaret Perry nee Dickinson -- 10 Nov. My age 52
1995 Bought a Daihatsu Charade
1996 First took out Jill Hillman-Marks, nee Tate -- 8 Feb. My age 53
1998 Son Joseph Baptised into RC church by Father Brady of the Little Kings
1998 Decree nisi for marriage to Kathryn Perry
2000 Met Geraldine Trivett. Details in para.rtf
2001 4th.Sept. Started relationship with Judith Burgess nee Middleton.
Judy at Etty Bay wearing my Panama
2001 Concurrent relationship with Judy Power nee Newman. Age 58
2004 Son Joe graduates from Senior at Clairvaux High School (November 20)
2004 Vacation in the Far North with Judy Burgess nee Midleton
2005 Broke up with Judy and met Met Anne Foss nee Rampton next day -- Sept. 1
2006 Acquired a 1963 Humber Super Snipe
2007 Son Joe graduates from UQ with B.Sc. my age 64
2008 My Toyota Echo stolen but recovered after a little while
2009 My sister Jack (Jacqueline Margaret Ray aka Ward) died of the family illness -- breast cancer
2010 Cataract surgery in one eye
2010 Joe goes to ANU on a Ph.D. mathematics scholarship
2011 September 16. I help Renee Eaves financially to prosecute a crooked cop. She wins.
Renee
2011 The Brisbane floods. I was only indirectly affected as I live on the side of a hill in a generally relevated asrea
2012 I acquire a 1997 Toyota Starlet for $1,000 from Anne
2012 Admitted to Wesley hospital with kidney stone. On operating table within hours. -- May 2.
2013. I turn 70
As I was
2013 (November) Saved by Vancomycin from nasty Staphylococcus Aureus infection on my face
2014 (early Nov) Joe moves back from ANU and lives with me. My age 71
2014 (November 27) We had the mother and father of a hailstorm with quite a lot of the hail being bigger than golfballs. We lost power after a few minutes. Kate was present.
2015 Joe's GF Kate moved in to our place (July)
2015 (Dec 1) Severe diverticulitis, Fixed with antibiotics
2016 (30/08) Breakup with Anne -- followed by a reunion 3 weeks later. My age 73
2017 (May 28) My mental twin Chris Brand passed away
2018 (November 25) Son Joe marries Kate. My age 75
Anne and I at the wedding
2019 (July) Diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. Inoperable but treatable.
2019 (August) Big cancer surgery to remove sub-maxillary SCC. Emily Perry operating. Post-operative debilitation.
2020 (Feb 1) Joe completes his move to his new house. My age 76
2020 (Mar 2) 2nd ENT procedure. Remove SCC invaded lymph gland in neck. Chris Perry operating.
2020 (late March) Anne acquires a new bloke but remains friendly towards me. My age 76
2020 May. Radiotherapy on my neck. Notable for resultant pain
As I was in August 2020
2021 Feb. 1st. I become part-owner of a Toyota Prado (Half-share with Anne)
2021 March. Anne has a mild stroke and I am disgnosed with advanced stomach cancer. Not a good month
2021 10th June. I begin immunotherapy for my stomach cancer
2021 August 22nd. My oncologist advises me that I am in complete remission from my stomach cancer. The immunotherapy cost me $19,000 but it worked. It took only 9 weeks to wipe out the cancer. The preparation I got was Keytruda.
2021 September 25. Anne as she was
2021 I meet Zora Hughey nee Mikhailovich on the last day of the year. We met over lunch at my favourite coffee lounge on New Year's Eve. She is an intellectual Serb and identifies strongly with Serbia. See her below
2022 March 2. The Brisbane floods. I live with Zora at my place for 4 days
Zora beside the flooded Brisbane river at Kangaroo Point
2022 March 18th. I break my ankle when I fell down my front steps
2022 -- 18 April. I fall off a stool in a cafe and crack a rib, leaving me in a lot of pain
To conclude, I want to say something here towards my funeral.
I want to be buried not burnt. And I want to select the hymns sung. You normally get only three, so:
How Great thou art.
Bunyan's pilgrim hymn
Jerusalem by Blake & Parry
And if a 4th is allowed the classic funeral hymn: O God, Our Help in Ages Past -- and maybe Abide with me
Although Christian metaphysics are to me absurd, I have had the great gift of being emotionally a Protestant fundamentalist Christian all my life. And faith is emotional.
For all my life I have dipped into the Bible with pleasure and understanding. In Gough Whitlam's inimitable phrase, I have been a "Bible-bashing bastard"! I have been much blessed in that.
Go to John Ray's Main academic menu
Go to Menu of longer writings
Go to John Ray's basic home page
Go to John Ray's pictorial Home Page
Go to Selected pictures from John Ray's blogs