PAUL and Janita Ying have lived on Paul Street for years.
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It's a happy coincidence that's soon to come to an end, as the quiet community pillars move to Toowoomba to be closer to family after 45 years in Tamworth.
The Yings leave behind big shoes to fill, Mrs Ying having volunteered with the Red Cross and in palliative care, and Mr Ying as a leader of Scouts, a Tidy Towns advocate and diligent member of the Tamworth Rotary Club.
Almost three decades ago Mrs Ying went to work for the Nioka palliative care unit as a diversionary therapist, a bridge between the patient and doctor and often a shoulder to cry on.
A Cantonese and English interpreter, she would often times be the first to hold a new baby at the hospital before she introduced them to their mother.
"There was a gentleman from the farm who was a man's-man, he couldn't say how he felt to his wife," she said.
"What we did was cut ribbon and Christmas cards, I said, 'You choose your story.'
"It tells the story of how he and his wife met and how he felt before heaven, it's a comfort - he expressed his feelings without saying anything.
"It's helping the family accept the fact that someone is dying."
The couple came from Hong Kong but met in Melbourne, convinced their stint in Tamworth wouldn't last much longer than three to four years.
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As a kid Mr Ying was a Queen Scout, one of nine boys chosen to represent Hong Kong at the Jubilee Jamboree in England.
Since then he worked his way to Central Northern district commissioner and had electricity installed at the Lynchwood campsite in Upper Moore Creek.
He was named Tamworth Citizen of the Year in 2007.
"You spend half your lifetime here and meet so many people, we have a lot of connection here," Mr Ying said.
He thinks he'll take a short break before he gets back into the community in Toowoomba.
"I don't think I will get back to Scouts but I'll probably join the Rotary, there's always things that can be done," he said.
"We are a bit sad," Mrs Ying agreed, "But the children get a bit anxious as we get older."
Madeline Link
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
