Mum was known as a cotton wool baby. She was so tiny Nanna brought her home wrapped in cotton wool to die but die she did not, she thrived. With only 12 months between her sister Joan and herself they grew up very close.

Val was educated in Gundagai and always wanted to be a nurse when she left school but her father refused to let her leave home until she was 21-years-old so she worked at a cafe in Gundagai, which she said was such hard work as all the floors and stairs were scrubbed by hand each night before leaving work.

Then at the age of 16 she met and fell in love with a railway worker - David Bullman from Yass. Mum used to get into so much trouble for giving him extra malt in his milkshake. After David proposed mum's dream came true when she started her nursing career at Yass Hospital. Mum lived at the nursing home behind the hospital as her dad forbid marriage until she turned 21.

Mum used to tell some very funny stories about sneaking out to meet dad during the night and getting back before the matron realised she was missing.

On April 16 1949, just three months before her 22nd birthday Val married David at St John's Anglican Church in Gundagai before beginning her married life in Yass.

Mum loved to tell the story of how scary it was travelling on the bus to Gundagai with a three-tiered wedding cake sitting beside her. She was too scared to move much and it was over a three hour trip in those days.

In a few short years mum's real career came to fruition as she became a wife and mother first to Rodney, then to Tony and Ritchie. As if that wasn't enough along came Katherine, Narelle and Melinda, three boys and three girls, and she was in her element looking after six children, what a perfect mother she was.

Mum was always there when we arrived home from school and always there when we needed a shoulder to cry on. Mum welcomed all our friends into our home, where they were treated like one of the family. Food appeared from nowhere and the biscuit tins were always full.

Nanna Ballard was a beautiful dress maker of formal outfits for weddings and balls and both mum and her eldest sister Thelma followed in nanna's footsteps becoming wonderful dress makers themselves.

We always had that special dress to wear to special occasions made with great love by mum. She was so proud when she made Katherine's wedding dress plus the brides maid and flower girl dresses, and I've never seen her so proud as when those dresses were on display for the whole day at my wedding.

After all the weddings grandchildren started to arrive and mum loved and cherished each of her 18 grandchildren equally, and eahc of these children loved their special nanna. These grandchildren grew up and to this date have produced 18 great grandchildren for nanna to be proud of.

A very special day in Val's life was when dad and mum renewed their wedding vows for their 50th anniversary on Saturday April 17, 1999. It was a day when family and friends all came together to rejoice in their love.

Mum loved flowers and arranged them beautifully with dad's garden achievements always freshly arranged in their home. Her favourite was the red rose and this is why red roses were arranged at the church by Melinda, who inherited mum's arranging flare in remembrance of mum.

There were two days of the week that were not good days to visit. On Tuesday afternoons it was bingo timewhich was mum's great passion. She could be found at the club with her daughter-in-law Sue and her friends playing bingo or in Canberra if her nieces Glen and Jill were visiting.

In later years it was Friday afternoons at Linton where mum would sit in the recreation room by 1pm waiting for the Happy Wanderers or Johnny Goode to arrive at 2pm so they could play and sing her favourite songs. Mum would sing and dance along to the Anniversary Waltz and On The Road To Gundagai and many more favourites.

It was May 2010, when mum decided to go into Linton as her battle with Dementiabegan to escalate. Linton was to become mum's home for the rest of her life. New friendships were formed and carers were to become mum's life. They cared for mum in a loving special environment and always with respect. We will always be thankful of their care.

On Saturday morning, November 8, mum got her biggest wish in life and that was to be with dad in heaven.

We all have our cherished and sometimes funny memories of our special mum, grandmother and friend. Mum you were a beautiful and loving person and we will always remember you in this way. Whilst you reflect on mum's life don't forget a great man David Bullman who passed away nine years ago. We love you both.

Contributed.