General News
19 September, 2024
Remembering Margaret Sumner
THE Laang community has paid a heartfelt tribute to beloved late bowler Margaret Sumner OAM, in an act which has drawn the appreciation of her family.
A display cabinet was this year built at the Laang Hall to showcase some of the items Mrs Sumner earned during her more than four-decade career on the greens, but last week marked the first time Mrs Sumners sisters and brothers-in-law – Shirley and Ian Brown and Maureen and Jim O’Donohue – had seen it.
Mrs O’Donohue said it was a proud moment to see such a recognition which could be shared with the wider community.
“I think it’s wonderful for all her trophies to come back to Laang,” she said.
“It saves them from being lost or handed around throughout family – to keep so much of it in one spot is a great tribute which the committee has done for Margaret.”
Mrs Brown said seeing some of the memorabilia on display, including Mrs Sumner’s Indoor Bias Bowls Australia vs New Zealand 1987 jacket, 2007 VIBBA pennant and the key to the town of Laang was a heartfelt tribute.
“There is a beautiful photograph of Margaret and Hazel Foster in there, I watched them play outdoors one day which was exciting and a learning curve,” she said.
“She worked hard to get the awards.
“I’m pleased it’s here because with our family it could be all over Queensland and Victoria.
“It’s nice for it all to be here so others can see what you can achieve if you put your best foot forward.”
Mrs Sumner was a former Laang resident who had been bowling with the Terang Bowls Club since 1979.
In 2009 she had been received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her dedication and service to lawn bowls.
In 2021 Mrs Sumner was inducted in to the Bowls Victoria Hall of Fame, in recognition of her lengthy lists of accolades throughout her 42-year career.
Over the years she had won more club, district and state titles than could be named, and represented Australia at the 1994 and 1998 Commonwealth Games – winning a silver medal.
She also won gold at the wold championship in the fours in 1996 in England, and silver in the triples.
Mrs Sumner died in 2023 at the age of 82, surrounded by family and friends, leaving a lasting legacy on the wider community of someone whose keen talent for bowls was rivalled only by her adored sense of humour and kindness for others.
“Margaret was a terrific sister, she was really the head of the family when our parents passed,” Mrs O’Donohue said.
“She loved her bowls, having first started outdoors when our father took her to Mortlake before also playing indoor bowls at The Sisters.
“She’s done very well to earn all the medals and make the Commonwealth team, it was a great time for her and us.
“She excelled in bowls but was also a good tennis player, netballer and was a good all-round sportsperson.”
After her death, the wider western district mourned the loss of a woman admired both on and off the greens with an inundation of condolences.
“It’s very humbling, from our point of view, to see the outpouring of support,” Mrs Brown said.
“The community were all behind her, in Terang and Laang, and especially in the indoor and outdoor competitions.”
