FROM

IGGS OGA

June 19, 2020.

Today brings to a close the end of an era for many decades of Ipswich Grammar girls with the death of a much-loved teacher and colleague.

Miss Marsden, or Marsie as she was affectionately known, was one of a group of dedicated mistresses who devoted their lives to the students of IGGS. Together with her life-long friends, Thalia Kennedy, Deirdre Brown, Joan Benson and Alison Goleby, Dorothy Marsden was one of a special breed whose care and nurturing of their students went way beyond classroom teaching.

Miss Marsden commenced her career at IGGS as a young teacher in 1944. Most of us remember her best as our French teacher or live in boarding mistress. She was, to us, the epitome of elegance, dressed always in soft coloured classic garments. She was such a gentle person, but this in no way meant she was not respected. Her expectations of us set high standards.

Every student will have her own memories – being trained to compete in Alliance Francaise competitions, dancing the can-can on 14 July to celebrate Bastille Day or working in the French Terrasse de Café at School fêtes.

Many of her students became French teachers and many more found that they could navigate the streets of Paris just by remembering what had been so assiduously taught years before in Marsden's lessons.

She served as Deputy Principal of the School from 1965 to 1980 and was greatly admired by her teaching colleagues. After her retirement in 1982, Miss Marsden devoted time to fostering attendance at Old Girls Meetings and was a relentless recruitment officer for the Brisbane Branch in particular.

Her faithful attendance at both School and Old Girls’ functions was extraordinary and she was always surrounded by her past students who had such affection for her.

Since her 100th birthday in 2019, Miss Marsden’s health has slowly declined. She will be mourned, but will remain in our hearts.