“M and M” - Two of Proserpine’s wonderful midwives (“Middys”) from the past.

Following on from a recent article on maternity care in Proserpine, here is the story of two very special nurses from a past era who are remembered as a great nursing team in the maternity ward - Monie Ward and Minnie Oakhill, affectionately referred to as “M and M”.

MINNIE OAKHILL was born Mena Deicke on October 28 1903, the eldest child of Harry and Mary Deicke. She was schooled initially in Bowen and Townsville then finished her education at All Hallows College in Brisbane, travelling there by ship as there was no rail line through to North Queensland at the time.
After leaving school, Minnie worked at her parents' Palace Hotel. She started her nursing career by joining the Voluntary Aid Detachment during the war. After completing the required hours for her certificate at Proserpine District Hospital, she joined the nursing staff where she eventually worked in the maternity ward for many years and was a well-known and highly respected “Middy” in the district.
Word has it that “everything went on hold” in maternity while Gwen Meredith's serial “Blue Hills” was on the radio at 1p.m - it was apparently a daily dose of medicine for Min!
Minnie married Dick Oakhill who owned Proserpine Plumbing Works in Chapman Street and they lived in Ann Street, Proserpine for many years. Min and good friend, Mrs Joe Faust, met every morning at the corner of Faust and Ann Streets and walked together to Mass during WWII. When her husband died in December 1969 and with her own health beginning to fail, Min went to live in Newcastle with daughter, Colleen and her family.  
Minnie Oakhill, who had nursed and loved both babies and mothers in Proserpine Hospital Maternity Ward for so many years died in Newcastle on February 16, 1976.
 
MONIE WARD was born Mary Monica McNeill in 1905 to parents Francis Joseph McNeill Jnr and Madeline Elizabeth nee Armanasco. Monie served as a Pupil Teacher at Proserpine State School from 1919‑1921 then decided her true calling lay in nursing. She completed her training at Mackay District Hospital.  

In 1936, Monie married Henry Ward, a telegraphist at Proserpine Post Office. They resided at Foxdale with their two children, Bruce and Thea.

Monie commenced work in the old Proserpine Hospital on Bowen Road and later worked at the new hospital site in Herbert Street. She returned to nursing c.1949, working under Matron McGrath and worked in the maternity ward.
Her gentle and compassionate nature were a perfect complement to the professional skill required of a nurse. Monie’s daughter, Thea, recalls her mother being a midwife when Peter John Faltinsky, Proserpine's miracle baby, was born on July 7, 1956. “12½ weeks premature, weighing approximately 500 grams. His head, the size of a small orange and pelvis, the width of a nappy safety pin. He was fed on glucose with an eye dropper every half‑hour ...Peter spent his first 10 weeks in a humidicrib and owes his life to tender loving nursing. For 6 weeks, his only clothing was a face washer cut in half for a nappy ... his hands were the size of a halfpenny and his feet fitted loosely in a match box.” (“Proserpine Then and Now” PHMS 1988 p53)
Monie Ward spent her well-earned retirement with her children and their families at Yeppoon and Buderim. This dedicated midwife died peacefully on July 3, 1999 in her 94th year.
Proserpine women were indeed fortunate to have the wonderful care of Minnie and Monie - M and M!
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Story and photo courtesy Proserpine Historical Museum Society.

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Sister Monie Ward second from left back row; Sister Minnie Oakhill second from right back row.

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