There are significant moments in history. Often it is the birth of someone who would make the world a better place and whose contribution continued after their death. In Kharagpur in India on the seventh of February 1943 one such person was born to a couple who had suffered several miscarriages. But this child survived and spent her first four years in Kharagpur before the family moved to Australia. Her parents were great sportspeople and her father represented India at the 1932 and 1936 Olympics at field Hockey, winning a Gold Medal each time. He is still remembered as a hockey legend even now some 52 years after his death.
This beloved child was christened as Carole Ann Tapsell and soon began to make a name for herself as an athlete, swimmer, basketballer and as a loyal and trusted friend. She excelled as a sprinter and won the sprint final at the GPS Athletics carnival in Qld. Some years later she coached a Brassall High School girls athletics relay team to break the State record. Later she took up hockey at Qld Uni and played A Grade. Later she became a selector and the coach of the Qld Schoolgirls Hockey team. A little later still she coached the NEGS [New England (Girls) Grammar School ] to their first premiership win in the NSW GPS finals.
Carole also excelled as a Phys Ed teacher and taught perhaps thousands of school children to swim in that role. Having taught at State and Catholic schools in Qld and Victoria she entered the TAFE system, eventually becoming a Senior Headteacher in Health and Recreation Section at the Southern Institute in Sydney. There she was awarded many Awards for her contribution to Vocational Education in NSW.
I was aware of this girl named Carole before I actually met her, for her name often appeared in newspapers for her efforts in sport and in Girl Guiding and for her successes in Speech competitions at eisteddfods. Then she became a member of the Youth Group I was leading. It was not long before she became my very best friend for the rest of her life. When I felt called to train for the Christian ministry she was very supportive and regularly visited my parents while I was in College over 1650km away. We became engaged just a few days before my father died of a brain tumor, and were married some 18 months later.
I have always felt that it was my great privilege and a wonderful act of the grace of God for me fall in love with her and to be married to the most attractive, beautiful, intelligent woman I have ever met. And for her to fall in love with me and to share almost 54 years of married and family life together was sheer joy for me. I was sharing in a group recently that we need to learn to be content in the Lord regardless of the circumstances. I mentioned that Carole was always content in Him in spite of some very difficult circumstances she was exposed to. She came through thyroid cancer and breast cancer treatments and even when uterine and cervical cancer stook hold on her life, she remained content in the Lord. She has encouraged me by her example to remain content in Him in spite of losing her sadly to cancer [and praise God, to the Lord] over 5 years ago.
I think that as Carole was welcomed into the world in Kharagpur in India in 1943, her parents would not have realised the impact that this little bundle of joy would have on the world during her 76 years of life on this earth. People of all ages in Ipswich, Brisbane, Melbourne, Armidale, Sydney and in Wisconsin, Alabama and Florida in the USA have been blessed by getting to know her and to having received God’s love through her over all those years. And when I think the Lord brought her all the way from Kharagpur in India to Ipswich in Qld where we could meet, fall in love and enjoy almost 60 years as best friends and 54 years of a great marriage, I stand amazed at the Lord’s goodness and grace. As the writer of Proverbs 5:18, put it, “Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth.” Praise God for the memories we enjoy of those special times in our lives and can rejoice in the Lord as we remember His grace to us in giving us our beloved life partners.
I wrote a tribute about my beloved wife Carole just 48 hours after her death. If you would like to read more about her it is Blog No. 329 on this link. https://jimholbeck.blog/2019/11/03/329-a-tribute-to-a-wonderful-godly-woman-carole-ann-holbeck-my-late-beloved-wife-and-very-best-friend/
Blog No.567 posted on Wednesday 05 February2025.
About Jim Holbeck
Once an Industrial Chemist working for the Queensland Government but later an Anglican minister in Brisbane, Armidale and Sydney. Last position for eighteen years before retirement in 2006 was as the Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew's Cathedral Sydney.
holbeck 
567. A Reflection on February 7th. 1943. The Birth Of My Late Wife
There are significant moments in history. Often it is the birth of someone who would make the world a better place and whose contribution continued after their death. In Kharagpur in India on the seventh of February 1943 one such person was born to a couple who had suffered several miscarriages. But this child survived and spent her first four years in Kharagpur before the family moved to Australia. Her parents were great sportspeople and her father represented India at the 1932 and 1936 Olympics at field Hockey, winning a Gold Medal each time. He is still remembered as a hockey legend even now some 52 years after his death.
This beloved child was christened as Carole Ann Tapsell and soon began to make a name for herself as an athlete, swimmer, basketballer and as a loyal and trusted friend. She excelled as a sprinter and won the sprint final at the GPS Athletics carnival in Qld. Some years later she coached a Brassall High School girls athletics relay team to break the State record. Later she took up hockey at Qld Uni and played A Grade. Later she became a selector and the coach of the Qld Schoolgirls Hockey team. A little later still she coached the NEGS [New England (Girls) Grammar School ] to their first premiership win in the NSW GPS finals.
Carole also excelled as a Phys Ed teacher and taught perhaps thousands of school children to swim in that role. Having taught at State and Catholic schools in Qld and Victoria she entered the TAFE system, eventually becoming a Senior Headteacher in Health and Recreation Section at the Southern Institute in Sydney. There she was awarded many Awards for her contribution to Vocational Education in NSW.
I was aware of this girl named Carole before I actually met her, for her name often appeared in newspapers for her efforts in sport and in Girl Guiding and for her successes in Speech competitions at eisteddfods. Then she became a member of the Youth Group I was leading. It was not long before she became my very best friend for the rest of her life. When I felt called to train for the Christian ministry she was very supportive and regularly visited my parents while I was in College over 1650km away. We became engaged just a few days before my father died of a brain tumor, and were married some 18 months later.
I have always felt that it was my great privilege and a wonderful act of the grace of God for me fall in love with her and to be married to the most attractive, beautiful, intelligent woman I have ever met. And for her to fall in love with me and to share almost 54 years of married and family life together was sheer joy for me. I was sharing in a group recently that we need to learn to be content in the Lord regardless of the circumstances. I mentioned that Carole was always content in Him in spite of some very difficult circumstances she was exposed to. She came through thyroid cancer and breast cancer treatments and even when uterine and cervical cancer stook hold on her life, she remained content in the Lord. She has encouraged me by her example to remain content in Him in spite of losing her sadly to cancer [and praise God, to the Lord] over 5 years ago.
I think that as Carole was welcomed into the world in Kharagpur in India in 1943, her parents would not have realised the impact that this little bundle of joy would have on the world during her 76 years of life on this earth. People of all ages in Ipswich, Brisbane, Melbourne, Armidale, Sydney and in Wisconsin, Alabama and Florida in the USA have been blessed by getting to know her and to having received God’s love through her over all those years. And when I think the Lord brought her all the way from Kharagpur in India to Ipswich in Qld where we could meet, fall in love and enjoy almost 60 years as best friends and 54 years of a great marriage, I stand amazed at the Lord’s goodness and grace. As the writer of Proverbs 5:18, put it, “Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth.” Praise God for the memories we enjoy of those special times in our lives and can rejoice in the Lord as we remember His grace to us in giving us our beloved life partners.
I wrote a tribute about my beloved wife Carole just 48 hours after her death. If you would like to read more about her it is Blog No. 329 on this link. https://jimholbeck.blog/2019/11/03/329-a-tribute-to-a-wonderful-godly-woman-carole-ann-holbeck-my-late-beloved-wife-and-very-best-friend/
Blog No.567 posted on Wednesday 05 February2025.
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About Jim Holbeck
Once an Industrial Chemist working for the Queensland Government but later an Anglican minister in Brisbane, Armidale and Sydney. Last position for eighteen years before retirement in 2006 was as the Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew's Cathedral Sydney.