Sylvia Moulds remembered for lifetime of service

A former Maryborough schoolgirl who met her husband after running his mate over with her push bike became a founding and life member of multiple organisations, and a vital and generous community stalwart.

The life membership bestowed on Sylvia Moulds by four different organisations shows just a small part of the dedication she and her husband Lew had for local sport and their community, even remortgaging their Maryborough home to help rebuild the city’s band hall when it burnt down.

On Wednesday, three of Ms Moulds’ children gathered at her Maryborough home to share memories of their beloved mum, who died aged 96 on September 11, 2022.

They remembered a woman whose life was devoted to her community and her family, who raised her children to contribute in meaningful ways as well.

For the family, it was never just about being part of the Maryborough Excelsior Band, or playing softball, son Stephen remembered this week.

Barbara Morris, Stephen Moulds and Pamela Heselwood with a picture of their beloved mum, Sylvia Moulds.

It was about learning how to score, marking out the softball diamond for the game, volunteering to help with fundraising – it was giving their all.

Daughter Barbara Morris agreed, recalling how her parents taught them commitment, where earning a spot in a representative side or being part of a team meant going to training “rain, hail or shine”.

Sylvia was the oldest of seven children, born in Coochin-Coochin near Boonah, with the first few years of her life spent on a 202ha (500 acre) farm at Mount Alford.

When the family moved to Maryborough, she attended Granville State School, then Albert State School and later Maryborough Girl’s Grammar.

The badges Sylvia Moulds collected throughout her life.

Sylvia met husband Lew by accident, running over his mate on her push bike while they were walking along Ferry St.

Lew was a crew member of the HMS Nabstock, based at Maryborough Airport, and he had to get permission from his captain to marry, which he and Sylvia did on December 8, 1945.

They had four children

The Nabstock set sail soon after their wedding and Lew returned to his duties in the navy until January 1947.

Lew and Sylvia were secretaries of the Men and Ladies Darts Clubs and were founding members of Maryborough Softball Association.

Both were later honoured with life memberships.

The dugout on diamond 1 was named for the couple, and Sylvia was also given a life membership for the Incas Softball Club, of which she remained a patron until she died.

Sylvia Moulds, pictured front row on the left, in the Maryborough Representative Team in 1954.

Both Lew and Sylvia were life members of the Maryborough Excelsior City Band, with Sylvia acting as treasurer for the organisation for close to 50 years, adding up figures in her head instead of a calculator.

During the annual audits, she was often complimented on the efficiency of her bookwork by the auditor.

In the 1980s, when a fire destroyed the band hall, the couple helped with fundraising to help build a new one and even remortgaged their home to help with the efforts to rebuild.

Another of Sylvia’s passions was lawn bowls.

Beloved mum and community volunteer Sylvia Moulds died in September 2022.

She was a member of the Maryborough Services Memorial Bowls Club and held various positions on the committee over the years and was also named a life member of that organisation.

In the 1940s and ’50s, Lew produced and performed in vaudeville shows, which raised funds for different organisations, with Sylvia dancing and sewing costumes as part of the events.

In April 2022, Sylvia moved into the new Maryborough Community Aged Care Centre in Tinana, where she was one of the first 30 residents.

Sylvia’s funeral will be held at the Heritage Chapel at Maryborough Crematorium on Friday. October 7, 2022, from 11am.