‘Bigger than life’: Friends remember Rockhampton Musical Union Choir devotee Nita Whyte

Nita Whyte was a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, conductorist, accompanist, and more.

Colleagues and friends remember Nita Whyte, Rockhampton Musical Union Choir member for more than 50 years, as a loyal friend and skilled musician.

Ms Whyte died aged 87 on Tuesday, August 17.

She was a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, conductor, accompanist, and more.

Many long-time choir members knew Nita for more than five decades.

Choir committee member Patricia McKenna called Nita “a mentor and friend”.

She said Nita had a “great passion” for music and for the musical union, and was “very passionate and excitable”.

“We had to work very closely together,” Ms McKenna said.

“Chorally she was a great musician.”

“She was very strong-willed and when she wanted the choir to perform well she would be quite firm and wouldn’t hesitate to tell the choir what she needed it to do.”

Ms McKenna recalled Nita receiving a toy truck as a gift, inspired by one of her common phrases: “To move this choir is like moving a truck.”

“We would not have been the same without Nita there,” Ms McKenna said.

“She was always a loyal friend and loyal to the musical union, and I think she encouraged the musical union to be adventurous.”

Nita (centre) with Shalom Aged Care residents and guests in 2010.

Choir life member Christine Netherwood described Nita as “a very, very good friend who was bigger than life”.

“She was unique,” Ms Netherwood said.

“You knew when Nita was around because laughter filled the room. She had a great sense of humour.

“The kids just adored her: they were a bit scared of her at first, but they proved to love her so much.”

Ms Netherwood said Nita was as passionate about her friends as she was about choir music.

“She’s going to be very greatly missed because she was just a true, true devoted friend, and whenever she saw us she was just so delighted to see us and talk to us.

“She loved everybody. We’ll really miss her.”

Cheryl Fall met Nita 43 years ago when her daughter joined the choir.

“Nita really loved those children,” Ms Fall said.

“She wouldn’t take any nonsense, and always strove for perfection, but regardless, they were her pride and joy.

“They rewarded her dedication over and over with their beautiful singing.”

Ms Fall presented Nita with life membership of the youth choir at its centenary concert at the Pilbeam Theatre in 1988.

“This was one of the best-kept secrets of all time,” she said.

“She had no idea it was going to happen, and became quite frustrated when she kept trying to get our accompanist to play the next introduction, to no avail.

“Needless to say, she was thrilled when she realised what the delay was all about.”

When Nita was staying at Shalom Aged Care, she started a singing group for fellow residents.

“It was great to see her love of music shine through and inspire them,” Ms Fall said.

Rockhampton Girls Grammar School Choirs perform at Shalom Aged Care for Nita in 2015.

Choir life member Judi Scheuber said Nita was a great help to her as an early performer, and later to her three children.

“She gave very freely of her time to accompany them, and in addition to all that, above all else, she was a very good friend to our family,” Ms Scheuber said.

“For a person who was a marvellous pianist, to have the use of one hand taken from her was a devastating blow. She was brave – a lot of people would have given up.

“She had a strong life force, she was generous, and she was kinder than she knew she was.

“It’s hard to find superlatives big enough for what she’s given to Rockhampton.”

Ms Whyte was also heavily involved at Rockhampton Girls Grammar School.

Her funeral was held at the Rockhampton Crematorium East Chapel on Saturday, August 21.