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Brenton Stacey
Public relations officer

Friends of Avondale College icon Charles Pointon paid their respects in words and in actions during the 98-year-old's memorial service yesterday (November 16).

Before taking their seats in Avondale College Seventh-day Adventist Church, many of those attending the service had signed a petition calling for the installation of traffic lights at the intersection of Central Road and Freemans Drive in Cooranbong--Charles died after a car hit him while he crossed the intersection on his electric scooter on November 9. College president Dr John Cox offered the welcome, describing the service as a celebration of "a remarkable life well lived."

Born in London on September 10, 1910, Charles survived the Blitz during World War II and migrated to Australia in 1969 after the death of his wife. He first enrolled as a student at Avondale in 1979, returning in 2001, at age 91. Charles became an Adventist at age 26, attributing his longevity to the church's health message--Charles adhered to a vegetarian diet for more than 70 years, abstained from alcohol and tobacco, and walked up to 15 kilometres a day well into his 90s.

A display of Charles's belongings, which included a pair of slippers sporting several patches, a wooden stool held together primarily by electrical tape, and handwritten signs promoting the student mission club, COSMOS, served as a reminder of how he saved and raised money for those who did not enjoy a similar quality of life. "His passion was in giving not receiving," said friend Brad Watson, a lecturer in international development studies at Avondale and the staff advisor for COSMOS.

"Charles, bless his soul, manipulated me," said Catherine Moala, who became COSMOS president in first semester this year after Charles sold her a copy of his autobiography, A Friend in High Places. Charles continued to serve, at the time of his death, as general secretary and treasurer of COSMOS, which he helped pioneer 30 years ago. The club has now raised $150,000 for mission work, mostly in India and the Pacific islands. "He lived what he believed, and believed what he lived," said Kerryn Patrick, who cares for the administration and finances of Asian Aid, the primary recipient of money from COSMOS. Charles, a life member of Asian Aid, sent his most recent cheque to the charity on the Friday before his death. "Who's going to take his place?" asked Lake Macquarie campus chaplain Dr Wayne French during his service-themed message.

At least two members of the audience had good reason to think no one would. Their contribution to the open microphone segment served as the most emotive part of the service. Ian Barrett, the executor of Charles's will, had just recounted the story of how Charles used the money from the sale of a house he rented to friend Leonard Rose and his family to buy the family a house with a small business attached. The family earned a living off the profit from the business. The microphone then passed to a woman called Jacqui. Holding the hand of another woman, Stephanie, she told those attending the service, "My sister and I are that family."

Music featured prominently during the service. Avondale Singers and theology student Ben Tavao's quartet performed, and Dr Lyell Heise, a senior lecturer in theology at Avondale, led the singing of Charles's favourite hymn, "This Is My Father's World." The service ended with a rousing rendition of "I Am a Friend of God" by the Avondale Contemporary Choir.

"The wonder of his life is not that he practised the presence of God, but that he encouraged that presence in others without seeming to try," said Ian during his reading of Charles's life sketch.

"We knew him as Prince Charles because he was always talking about his Father as being the King of the universe," said a representative of the Aboriginal Seventh-day Adventist community in Kempsey, New South Wales, where Charles preached and taught for more than 11 years.

Earlier during the funeral service at Avondale Cemetery, mourners placed flowers from the jacaranda trees outside College Hall on Charles's coffin to symbolise his iconic status on campus and in the community. Two Avondale students read verses from Charles's Bible. Dr Bruce Manners, senior minister at the college church, spoke of Charles's faith in God. "We say farewell with hope in our hearts," he said. "We are putting Charles in the hands of his Friend, and there is joy in that."

Caption: Friend Zuali Barrett places jacaranda flowers on the coffin of Charles Pointon during his funeral service on Sunday.
Credit: Ann Stafford

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