May Pocock-Minchin
June 2, 1900 to December 6, 1997
A Life Sketch
June 2, 1900 to December 6, 1997
Who can find a virtuous woman, for her price is far above rubies." In the life of Ruth Elsie May Pocock-Minchin we have found such a woman.
May Minchin, or Grandma, as she was better known in the family, was born on June 2nd, 1900 in Cooranbong, Australia. She was the seventh of eight children born to the family of John and Charlotte Pocock, who emigrated from England to forge a new life in the early settlements of this developing country. Shortly after her birth, Ellen White held May in her arms and prayed for her. This blessing was an appropriate beginning to a life-long commitment to Christ and the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
May spent her early years in Cooranbong, where she completed formal schooling at the Avondale Adventist Primary and Secondary Schools. While she was still living, she was honored as the oldest living graduate of the Secondary school. Her desire to help and care for others naturally led her into nurse's training, which she completed at Sydney Sanitarium and Hospital. After graduating, she worked with her sister Annie in her private midwifery service as well as in health education for the North New South Wales Conference.
In 1927 May accepted a call by Elder E. E. Cossentine to become the preceptress at New Zealand Missionary College. Her responsibilities included girls' dean, school nurse, cook, dining room supervisor and teacher of physiology and spelling. Shortly after her arrival, she and Edwin Lennard Minchin, who was the boy's dean and teacher of Bible and music, began to develop mutual respect and admiration for each other. With the blessing of Elder Cossentine (and his wife), this interest quickly blossomed into romance, culminating in her acceptance of Len's proposal for marriage.
Soon after her engagement, May's health failed due to the overwhelming workload she carried. She was forced to return to Australia to recuperate. During this time of separation, she and Len faithfully sent a steady stream of letters across the Tasman Sea. On December 6, 1927, seventy years prior to the very day of her death, May sent a letter to "My own dear Len", excerpts of which give insights into her devotion to her husband-to-be, her sense of humor, and her commitment to living by principle, rather than by feeling. She felt sensitive regarding their age difference, as will be noted in her letter:
"Yes, it is hard to realize that we are both so soon to enter such a sacred contract as the marriage vow. And I, too, feel unable of myself to bear the responsibility which will fall to me. I am deeply desirous that the dear Lord will help me to be a true help and comfort to the dearest of boys. Darling, I do not look upon you as young and inexperienced any more than I am myself. You have always proved a strength to me in matters of vital importance, and it was through your fidelity that you unconsciously won my heart. But dearest, stay young while you can; old age comes all too soon. I like to think of you just as you are, young and full of life naturally, but serious and earnest in your work. I did wish at first that I were not so old, but God made me when He did, and He knows all.
However, if it worries us, dear, you be 27 and I'll be 24. Ah, I wouldn't mind being 24 again, but a lot has happened since then, and the experiences, well, they are all for the best, and seeing one can't have them without going through them, I'm content to be 27, and hạve my dear Len 24." Then later on, "You asked about my health, dear. I am well, thank you. To be honest, oftentimes I don't feel well, but I'm trying not to let feelings count."
After their marriage on February 8, 1928, Len and May returned to work at the college in New Zealand. The next year, Kelvin Lennard was born. This began the next and perhaps the most important phase of May's life, that of motherhood. Over the next five and a half years four other children were added to the Minchin household. Joan
Marie was born in 1931, Yvonne Mae in 1932, and finally the twins, Valmae Joyce and Leona Grace in 1935. Five children under the age of six!
May thrived on mothering, but it wasn't an easy life. During this time Len had accepted a call back to Australia to become a youth leader for the South New South Wales Conference, and later for the Australasian Division. This job required frequent traveling, forcing May to manage the home alone. Many a late night was spent washing diapers by hand, preparing food, and keeping the household in order. Every morning and evening she milked the cow.
While building their own home, May kept house in a shack for nine months. Her true pioneer spirit shone. Once a vicious storm hit, tearing away large pieces of their corrugated tin roof. May quickly gathered the children together, taking them to huddle in the most protected portion of their crude residence, where she spent the next three hours courageously singing songs and telling stories to the children until the storm abated.
May loved poetry. She was always quick to add an appropriate poem or piece of wisdom to the situation at hand. One long poem she had memorized was “The First Settler's Story," from which she often quoted the phrase
"Boys flying kites haul in their white winged birds, but you can't do that when you're flying words."
Other favorite sayings, reflecting her standards and pragmatism in life, were,
"If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well," and
"If a thing can't be cured, it must be endured."
In 1946, following her husband's call to the British Isles, May faithfully accompanied him on this new venture. She managed her family through the hardships experienced in war-ravaged England. After eight years of working by her husband's side, as he worked with the youth of northern Europe, May willingly accompanied him once again to Washington, DC, where Len helped direct the youth ministry of the Adventist church. During this time her hospitality and gracious caring for all those she met became legendary. May's greatest contribution, however, was her calm willingness to bear alone the burdens of the home, while her husband traveled throughout the world.
In 1970 Len retired. He and May set up home in Loma Linda, California, for eight years, then in Collegedale, Tennessee, for another seven years. It was during this time that May's role as grandmother took on new meaning. Her eighteen grandchildren could always expect a loving card on their birthdays, a properly served English meal when they visited, and a caring word when things were rough. There was always plenty of merriment in the household. Important memories include laughing over one of Grandma's innocent slips of the tongue, listening to Grandpa playfully tease her, and enjoying a game of Up-Jenkins-Flop on the dining room table.
In February, 1987, after 59 years of a beautiful marriage relationship, her dear Len passed away. This began yet another phase of May's life, one in which she courageously struggled physically and emotionally to cope with her waning strength and dependence upon others. Her greatest joy was found in being useful. She lived seven years with Joan and three and a half with Yvonne. Although at timės she wondered why the Lord did not allow her to "sleep," she continuously brought blessings to those who cared for her. One week before her death, at age 97 1/2, she joyfully embarked on her last great adventure as she moved to her Grandson's home, next door to her youngest daughter Leona. She spent her last week of her life enjoying her new surroundings and going on walks in nature with her great grandchildren.
The beauty and inspiration of May's life and her commitment to her Christ, her church, and her family are cherished by her 4 surviving children, 18 grandchildren, and 33 great-grandchildren (at the time of this being written in 1997), and many relatives and friends who loved her.
Written by Grandsons Wayne and John Dysinger
Family Testimonials Of Grandma May Minchin
