Remembering Carl in pictures
Pictures of remembrances at the tree where Carl was fatally injured here, here and here. Including one with a message from his mother Margi. Clearer.
People wearing the requested bright colours at his funeral. More mourners. Carpathia and I signing Carl’s rainbow flag with Bill looking on and Margi behind.
The balloons for Carl released at the end of the funeral here and here.
Carl’s mother Margi and sister Madie in happier times.
Go here and type ‘Quigg’ for search to get details about the photos.
Margi's Eulogy for Carl
The Rainbow:
What is a rainbow?
And why the rainbow today?
First and foremost the rainbow is bright. Carl would hate us to be dull and dowdy today.
Today we celebrate nearly 20 years of bright and vibrant life. We do not celebrate Carl’s death, but his life, and the gift we received in knowing our beautiful boy.
Thank you for coming today, for we all share a common bond whether we have known Carl all of our lives or have just been briefly touched by his cheeky smile as his life path crossed yours.
When I held my boy’s slender beautiful hand not long after he left us, on his wrist was a fluoro rainbow bracelet inscribed with the word hope - it was as though he was sending me a message.
The rainbow is a powerful symbol.
He was a fiercely proud young gay man.
How many of you remember first meeting Carl as he shook your hand and said, “Hi. I’m Carl, and I’m gay!”? It was so much a part of how he saw his place in this world, and I am sure he would like this acknowledged today.
The rainbow is a symbol of gay pride, yet this is not the only reason for the rainbow today.
The rainbow has many meanings in many cultures.
The rainbow bridge between two worlds.
The Judeo/Christian tradition of God’s promise to man that he would never again take all life from the world after the great biblical flood.
In future days, months and years when the rainbow appears, unexpectedly as it always does, Carl’s presence and his memory will arch over us all, touching us fleetingly with colour and promise, and filling us with the wonder and beauty of the rainbow.
1. Carl was born on 22nd December, 1985, in a storeroom at Queen Victoria Hospital amidst much laughter and quite a lot of hard work.
His older brothers waited outside with the obstetrician.
2. He was a whopper of a baby, having waited more than 3 weeks after his due date to grace us with his presence.
3. He always had a stubborn streak and likes to choose his own time.
4. He was nine days old for his first New Year’s Day, after being three days old while I cooked Christmas for the whole family!
5. His big brothers adored their little brother, though at times he was smothered by their attentions.
6. Carl charmed everyone and particularly his great great aunt, Aunty Ivy. Mostly he loved her for her silky clothes which he would stroke as he sat contentedly on her lap.
7. There were many faces of Carl, some of which you may recognise to this day. He had such an expressive face.
8. And then came his baby sister. And now Carl had competition for his mother’s attention, but what a gorgeous child, you could almost forgive him for how naughty he was with an angelic face like that.
9. Carl loved to be naked whenever possible, with his blond hair tied off his face in hot weather.
10. And then it was time to get rid of the girly hair, and make a boy of him. He loved holidays at the beach at Balnaaring.
13. And not always from the perspective we would expect.
12. When Carl was three he broke his leg playing a fun game with his brothers. They convinced him to lie under the slats on the bed and push his feet upwards to make ‘mountains’ which his brother attempted to jump on. Unfortunately one of them succeeded which resulted in a trip to casualty.
13. Carl, and his brother, Ryan, shared a trip to hospital to have tubes put in their ears when he was three.
14. No eulogy would be complete without mention of Carl’s ‘silky’. He totally wore off the satin ribbon on two baby blankets, and ever since has had a love for anything silky and sensual. Only satin boxer shorts were good enough for our boy.
15. When Carl wasn’t causing disasters with his baby sister, like cutting off the fountain of her baby hair with my fabric scissors or washing her hair with Jif, he loved to play with her, even teaching her to clap.
16. When Carl was very young his Dad and I separated which meant that he had two birthdays each year, this one with Dad encouraging him to blow out the candles on his third birthday cake.
17. Carl went to Joy Avenue Pre School just like his older brothers before him.
18. And then on to Silvan Primary School. He so loved to dress up and be beautiful.
19. After Silvan PS he moved on to Birmingham Primary for four years before completing his primary years at Mt Evelyn PS. He then enrolled at Lilydale High School. After leaving Silvan, school and Carl did not mix and he was a fair little hell raiser throughout his school years.
20. Carl was always a deep child with a very serious side.
21. Carl was never very interested in his other’s medieval history hobby, but he did like the dressing up aspect.
22. In 1998 his sister was critically ill, but I’m sure the smile was more for Tania from Batchelor Girl as he was always lured by fame and fortune.
23. Carl continued to enjoy hanging out with his Dad and his brothers doing some of the boy stuff.
24. Carl has always had a soft spot for animals. His Auntie Alice will tell how he climbed under her house to rescue the kittens when her cat gave birth to them under the house, or how he climbed the tree, after removing his new shirt so he wouldn’t ruin it, to retrieve Mac, who had climbed to high, who then clawed his back to pieces in his panic.
25. He had a particular soft spot for the ferrets that Ryan has kept for the past seven years.
26. As Carl grew he was still happy to be semi naked as long as he had his silky boxer shorts.
27. He and his cousin David, only five weeks apart in age, were always
the best of mates. And I know David’s heart will be here with us today even though he can’t be as he is studying in London.
28. Carl also had his sour side, and this is just to show that he was real - he could have a foul temper, but we didn’t love him any less for it.
29. In 2000 we enjoyed a holiday in Fiji, sunburn and all. Though neither of the boys look too impressed by being photographed on the beach of a tropical island.
30. Sitting in the bar was perhaps more fun.
31. He and cousin David continued to grow up together.
32. In 2003 Carl came out and some of his demons lifted from him. This was taken the week after he came out and look at how happy he was.
Shortly after this his long beloved ponytail gave way to trendy haircuts.
33. Our Carl was always surrounded by love which he was only to happy to give as well as to receive.
34. Carl worked at Hungry Jacks for more than two years and made many good friends and enjoyed a supportive workplace where his homosexuality was accepted and embraced.
35. In August this year he met his Uncle Adrian for the first time, and the love of the family was again demonstrated.
36. We lost our beautiful Boy on 11th November.
We love you Carl and we always will.
Carl had favourite saying that reflected his love of music and dancing, and that’s what he’d be saying to us now: “Shut up and Shuffle!”
People wearing the requested bright colours at his funeral. More mourners. Carpathia and I signing Carl’s rainbow flag with Bill looking on and Margi behind.
The balloons for Carl released at the end of the funeral here and here.
Carl’s mother Margi and sister Madie in happier times.
Go here and type ‘Quigg’ for search to get details about the photos.
Margi's Eulogy for Carl
The Rainbow:
What is a rainbow?
And why the rainbow today?
First and foremost the rainbow is bright. Carl would hate us to be dull and dowdy today.
Today we celebrate nearly 20 years of bright and vibrant life. We do not celebrate Carl’s death, but his life, and the gift we received in knowing our beautiful boy.
Thank you for coming today, for we all share a common bond whether we have known Carl all of our lives or have just been briefly touched by his cheeky smile as his life path crossed yours.
When I held my boy’s slender beautiful hand not long after he left us, on his wrist was a fluoro rainbow bracelet inscribed with the word hope - it was as though he was sending me a message.
The rainbow is a powerful symbol.
He was a fiercely proud young gay man.
How many of you remember first meeting Carl as he shook your hand and said, “Hi. I’m Carl, and I’m gay!”? It was so much a part of how he saw his place in this world, and I am sure he would like this acknowledged today.
The rainbow is a symbol of gay pride, yet this is not the only reason for the rainbow today.
The rainbow has many meanings in many cultures.
The rainbow bridge between two worlds.
The Judeo/Christian tradition of God’s promise to man that he would never again take all life from the world after the great biblical flood.
In future days, months and years when the rainbow appears, unexpectedly as it always does, Carl’s presence and his memory will arch over us all, touching us fleetingly with colour and promise, and filling us with the wonder and beauty of the rainbow.
1. Carl was born on 22nd December, 1985, in a storeroom at Queen Victoria Hospital amidst much laughter and quite a lot of hard work.
His older brothers waited outside with the obstetrician.
2. He was a whopper of a baby, having waited more than 3 weeks after his due date to grace us with his presence.
3. He always had a stubborn streak and likes to choose his own time.
4. He was nine days old for his first New Year’s Day, after being three days old while I cooked Christmas for the whole family!
5. His big brothers adored their little brother, though at times he was smothered by their attentions.
6. Carl charmed everyone and particularly his great great aunt, Aunty Ivy. Mostly he loved her for her silky clothes which he would stroke as he sat contentedly on her lap.
7. There were many faces of Carl, some of which you may recognise to this day. He had such an expressive face.
8. And then came his baby sister. And now Carl had competition for his mother’s attention, but what a gorgeous child, you could almost forgive him for how naughty he was with an angelic face like that.
9. Carl loved to be naked whenever possible, with his blond hair tied off his face in hot weather.
10. And then it was time to get rid of the girly hair, and make a boy of him. He loved holidays at the beach at Balnaaring.
13. And not always from the perspective we would expect.
12. When Carl was three he broke his leg playing a fun game with his brothers. They convinced him to lie under the slats on the bed and push his feet upwards to make ‘mountains’ which his brother attempted to jump on. Unfortunately one of them succeeded which resulted in a trip to casualty.
13. Carl, and his brother, Ryan, shared a trip to hospital to have tubes put in their ears when he was three.
14. No eulogy would be complete without mention of Carl’s ‘silky’. He totally wore off the satin ribbon on two baby blankets, and ever since has had a love for anything silky and sensual. Only satin boxer shorts were good enough for our boy.
15. When Carl wasn’t causing disasters with his baby sister, like cutting off the fountain of her baby hair with my fabric scissors or washing her hair with Jif, he loved to play with her, even teaching her to clap.
16. When Carl was very young his Dad and I separated which meant that he had two birthdays each year, this one with Dad encouraging him to blow out the candles on his third birthday cake.
17. Carl went to Joy Avenue Pre School just like his older brothers before him.
18. And then on to Silvan Primary School. He so loved to dress up and be beautiful.
19. After Silvan PS he moved on to Birmingham Primary for four years before completing his primary years at Mt Evelyn PS. He then enrolled at Lilydale High School. After leaving Silvan, school and Carl did not mix and he was a fair little hell raiser throughout his school years.
20. Carl was always a deep child with a very serious side.
21. Carl was never very interested in his other’s medieval history hobby, but he did like the dressing up aspect.
22. In 1998 his sister was critically ill, but I’m sure the smile was more for Tania from Batchelor Girl as he was always lured by fame and fortune.
23. Carl continued to enjoy hanging out with his Dad and his brothers doing some of the boy stuff.
24. Carl has always had a soft spot for animals. His Auntie Alice will tell how he climbed under her house to rescue the kittens when her cat gave birth to them under the house, or how he climbed the tree, after removing his new shirt so he wouldn’t ruin it, to retrieve Mac, who had climbed to high, who then clawed his back to pieces in his panic.
25. He had a particular soft spot for the ferrets that Ryan has kept for the past seven years.
26. As Carl grew he was still happy to be semi naked as long as he had his silky boxer shorts.
27. He and his cousin David, only five weeks apart in age, were always
the best of mates. And I know David’s heart will be here with us today even though he can’t be as he is studying in London.
28. Carl also had his sour side, and this is just to show that he was real - he could have a foul temper, but we didn’t love him any less for it.
29. In 2000 we enjoyed a holiday in Fiji, sunburn and all. Though neither of the boys look too impressed by being photographed on the beach of a tropical island.
30. Sitting in the bar was perhaps more fun.
31. He and cousin David continued to grow up together.
32. In 2003 Carl came out and some of his demons lifted from him. This was taken the week after he came out and look at how happy he was.
Shortly after this his long beloved ponytail gave way to trendy haircuts.
33. Our Carl was always surrounded by love which he was only to happy to give as well as to receive.
34. Carl worked at Hungry Jacks for more than two years and made many good friends and enjoyed a supportive workplace where his homosexuality was accepted and embraced.
35. In August this year he met his Uncle Adrian for the first time, and the love of the family was again demonstrated.
36. We lost our beautiful Boy on 11th November.
We love you Carl and we always will.
Carl had favourite saying that reflected his love of music and dancing, and that’s what he’d be saying to us now: “Shut up and Shuffle!”