Shirley Edna Telfer (née Parker)

Role: Matriarch of the Telfer family — wife of Murray
Born: 28 March 1929
Died: 23 February 2017 (aged 87) — Tumby Bay Hospital, South Australia
Burial: Tumby Bay Cemetery, Tumby Bay SA
Grandson: Mark Kenneth Telfer (1986–?)
Great-grandchildren: Levi, Zabella

Family

| Relation | Name |
|----------|------|
| Mother | Caroline Edna Lawrie (1890–1957) |
| Father | William Henry Parker |
| Spouse | Murray John Telfer (1924–2009) (m. ~1950s) |
| Children | Daryll William Telfer, John Robert Telfer, Grantley Keith Telfer, Timothy Neil Telfer (1959–?), Kathryn Mavis Telfer (1961–1965) (deceased), Susan Shirley Lawrie (adopted) |
| Siblings | Avis Muriel (Parker) Nicholls, Howard Lindsay Parker, Sydney Hugh Parker, William Humphrey Parker |

Life Summary

Shirley Edna Telfer (née Parker) was the matriarch of the Telfer family — wife of Murray John Telfer (1924–2009) for over 50 years, and mother of six children. She spent her life on the family farm in the Ungarra/Tumby Bay region of South Australia's Eyre Peninsula.

Her parents were William Henry Parker and Caroline Edna Lawrie, who married on 29 March 1917 at Long Plains, South Australia. Caroline Edna was the daughter of Robert Dunlop Lawrie and Caroline Hosking, connecting Shirley to the Lawrie family — Scottish pioneers who emigrated from Ayrshire to South Australia in the 1850s and helped establish the Alma Church of Christ.

Shirley raised her family in a strong Christian home. The Church of Christ was central to the Telfer family's life — Murray served as an elder and secretary at both Ungarra and Tumby Bay Churches of Christ for decades, and Shirley was a steadfast partner in that faith journey.

She passed away peacefully at Tumby Bay Hospital on Thursday, 23 February 2017, aged 87. Her funeral was held at the Church of Christ, Tumby Bay, on Wednesday, 1 March 2017, followed by burial at Tumby Bay Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations to the Tumby Bay Hospital Auxiliary.

Timeline

| Date | Event |
|------|-------|
| 28 Mar 1929 | Born to William Henry Parker and Caroline Edna Lawrie |
| ~1917 | Parents married at Long Plains, SA |
| ~1950s | Married Murray John Telfer (1924–2009) |
| ~1950s–80s | Raised six children on the family farm, Ungarra area |
| ~1950s–2000s | Active alongside Murray in Ungarra and Tumby Bay Churches of Christ |
| 23 Feb 2017 | Passed away peacefully at Tumby Bay Hospital, aged 87 |
| 1 Mar 2017 | Funeral service at Church of Christ, Tumby Bay; buried at Tumby Bay Cemetery |

Newspaper References

• Death Notice — The Courier Mail (and Centralian Advocate), 25 February 2017: "TELFER, Shirley (nee Parker). Passed away peacefully at the Tumby Bay Hospital on Thursday, February 23, 2017. Dearly loved wife of Murray (deceased). Loved mother and mother-in-law to Daryll and Ruth..."


• Funeral Notice — Centralian Advocate, 25 February 2017: Funeral conducted at Church of Christ, Tumby Bay, 1 March 2017 at 11:00am. Cortege proceeded to Tumby Bay Cemetery. Donations to Tumby Bay Hospital Auxiliary.


• Robert Dunlop Lawrie — probate notice (Nov 1918): Administration of estate of Robert Dunlop Lawrie, farmer of Long Plains, SA. Bagot's Executor and Trustee Company. — via Trove

Sources

• WikiTree profile: Shirley Edna Telfer (née Parker) (1929–2017) — confirms birth 28 Mar 1929, death 23 Feb 2017, parents William Henry Parker & Caroline Edna Lawrie, siblings Avis, Howard, Sydney, William


• Find a Grave memorial ID 240579005 — Shirley Edna Parker Telfer (1929–2017), Tumby Bay Cemetery


• FamilySearch: Caroline Edna Lawrie (1890–1957) — confirms marriage to William Henry Parker, 29 Mar 1917, Long Plains SA


• Death notice: The Courier Mail, 25 Feb 2017 (via mytributes.com.au)


• Funeral notice: Centralian Advocate, 25 Feb 2017 (via mytributes.com.au)


• Lawrie family connection: Lawrie Family - Carslake Connection


• Alberta Grace Lawrie / Carslake — Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah, Three Springs — confirms Alberta Grace Lawrie born 4 Sep 1882 Long Plains SA, daughter of Robert Dunlop Lawrie & Caroline Hosking, married George Alfred Carslake 6 Sep 1904. View — accessed 23 May 2026

Family Connections

• Parker family: William Henry Parker (1893–1968) (father, born Long Plains SA 1893) and Caroline Edna Lawrie (mother). Shirley had four siblings: Avis, Howard Lindsay, Sydney Hugh, and William Humphrey. The Parker line traces back to William Humphrey Parker (1850–1926) (1850–1926) and David Parker (1822–1888) (1822–1888), Scottish immigrants from Ayrshire who arrived in SA in 1852.


• Lawrie family: Her mother Caroline Edna Lawrie (1890–1957) profile needed (1890–1957) was the daughter of Robert Dunlop Lawrie and Caroline Hosking. Edna's sister was Alberta Grace "Gracie" Lawrie, whose grandson is Graham Carslake (author of the Lawrie family history).


• Telfer connection: Through her marriage to Murray John Telfer, she joined one of the pioneering farming families of the Ungarra district — the Telfers arrived on Eyre Peninsula around 1905.

Photos

Shirley Edna Telfer (née Parker) — smiling portrait. Date unknown.

Notes

• Mother-in-law to Sheryle Telfer (1961–?) (Tim's wife)


• 📄 See Lawrie Family - Carslake Connection for full Lawrie lineage


• The Telfer family celebrated 100 years of farming on Eyre Peninsula in 2005

Research Needed

• [x] Death notice and funeral details obtained (Feb/Mar 2017)


• [x] Siblings identified via WikiTree


• [x] Parental marriage verified


• [x] Parker family origins confirmed — Ayrshire, Scotland (NOT English/Leeds as previously hypothesised)


• [ ] Her own life story beyond family roles — her personality, interests, community contributions


• [ ] Early life and childhood location (possibly Long Plains or Balaklava area)


• [ ] Specific church involvement and community service

Links

• Murray John Telfer (1924–2009)


• William Henry Parker (1893–1968) — father


• William Humphrey Parker (1850–1926) — grandfather


• David Parker (1822–1888) — great-grandfather (Scottish immigrant)


• Hannah Parker (1855–1948) — grandmother (English roots from Devon & Norfolk)


• William John Baker (1831–1919) — great-grandfather (Devon, England)


• Sophia Baker (1829–1901) — great-grandmother (Norfolk, England)


• Joseph March (1797–1883) — Norfolk-born immigrant on Canton, 1846


• Robert Dunlop Lawrie (1850–1917) — grandfather (Ayrshire Scots)


• John Lawrie (1810–1888) — great-grandfather (Galston, Ayrshire)


• Caroline Edna Lawrie (1890–1957) — mother


• Family Tree — master overview


• Timothy Neil Telfer (1959–?) — son


• Kathryn Mavis Telfer (1961–1965) — daughter


• Celebrating the life of Murray John Telfer


• Lawrie Family - Carslake Connection


• Francis Charles Telfer (1875–1954)