Delwyn Ross Linkhorn was born 4 August 1931, and Yvonne Myrtle Aston was born 19 May 1937. Yvonne would often say that her life only began once she married Del – they married amongst family on her 19th Birthday (19 May 1956) and together they raised their family and travelled the south Pacific, USA, South Africa and New Zealand, finally settling on the Sunshine Coast, Qld, Australia in the 1980’s, although Fiji was always a special place to them.
Del had a brilliant mind, and his sense of humour could not be matched. He was generous with his time, tools and knowledge and always loved the newest technology. Del tried his hand at everything! From racing pigeons, being in a band, Flight Lieutenant in the NZ Air Force, Electrical Engineer that became a mechanic for totalisaters, short time as a real estate agent which turned into buying a Tandy shop, Body Corporate Manager, Resident Manager trainer, and in later years a Strata Consultant – what a jack of many trades! Del volunteered in many local clubs – from the bird society, cake society, church, masonic lodge, rescue helicopters, neighbourhood watch and numerous car clubs.
Since a young age, Yvonne found enjoyment in the kitchen and crafting, having learnt to prepare dinner and sew in her early teens. She worked at a fashion shop, as a caterer at the racecourses and also worked at their Tandy shop. Yvonne was incredibly house proud and worked tirelessly to ensure Del and the children were well cared for and fed hearty meals. In her retirement, she also volunteered her time at local clubs and learnt the art of floristry, beadwork, embroidery, even lawn bowls for a few years and always had a blanket, cardigan or stuffed teddy on the knitting needles or crochet hook ready to donate for a fundraising stall or charity. Following Del’s passing in 2016, Yvonne showed amazing strength, resilience and sheer determination to learn how to manage finances and make some very tough decisions on her own – Del would have been immensely proud of her achievements.
Whilst Del and Yvonne accomplished many great things individually, their greatest success was their long marriage – they were each other’s greatest supporters. Yvonne’s unwavering dedication to Del could not be surpassed. Whilst Yvonne never asked for much, Del always ensured she had cupboards full of craft supplies to keep her happy and busy.
