SHE was no stranger to applause, so it seemed fitting that Dorothy De Low would get a standing ovation at her funeral.
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Woronora Crematorium's South Chapel was crowded yesterday as friends gathered to farewell a much-loved St George identity and table tennis champion who died on January 25, aged 103.
Known variously as Dorothy, Doris and Dot she was described as independent, determined, formidable, cheeky and exceptional — a woman who took everything in her stride and had a great sense of humour.
While the world was interested in her enormous energy and the fact that she was travelling the globe to play competitive table tennis in her 100th year, the family spoke about the mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who roared around in her car until 100-and-a-half; a woman who loved adventure; who did not worry about the use-by dates of food, which sometimes meant her cooking was somewhat unusual; who made up words at Scrabble and insisted that was how they were spelt in her day; who collected cuttings to plant in her garden because she liked to see things grow and then associate them with where they were acquired; a keen reader who always had a couple of books on the go — and who was a vital and energetic woman who lived independently and on her own terms in her Hurstville home until her last 57 days.
Her son Peter — her daughter Joan had died of breast cancer years before — said Mrs De Low became ill on November 30 when she was admitted to St George Hospital.
"She said to me that she thought it was time she went into a nursing home — words that I never thought I would hear her say," Mr De Low said. "This indicated she knew she was not right."
Mrs De Low was the transferred to the Sir Thomas Mitchell Nursing Facility at Illawong but despite the excellent care, steadily declined.
Just about everyone at the funeral had a Dorothy De Low story.
"A wonderful life - well lived and lived to the fullest — an inspiration to us all," Mr De Low said.
See more stories about Dorothy De Low (below), or click on the comment link below to leave a tribute to her.
