VIC Melbourne Dawn Dickson
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Our thanks to Dawn for here celebrant profile
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Were you appointed between 1973 and 1994 ?
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| Melbourne Celebrant Dawn Dickson |
Well no actually - if one is talking strictly about marriage appointment.
I never know where I fit in - I began my celebrancy journey in 1980 - almost thirty years ago. At the time I was 29 and in hindsight I would probably think that to be a little young to work as a funeral celebrant, however, only once did my age be a disadvantage. |
I had been working for Dally Messenger, typing thousands of weddings and funerals (before computers!), so I had a reasonable knowledge of celebrancy. Like new celebrants now, I remember thinking 'how absolutely beautiful it would be to be involved in weddings".
So I applied to become a marriage celebrant - and I waited and waited and waited. Year after year I updated my application but each letter I received from the A-G's office said that there were 'sufficient celebrants in my area".
For sixteen years I kept trying. One year they wrote and told me that because I was a funeral celebrant they wouldn't appoint me as a marriage celebrant. I persisted. Eventually, in the mid nineties, along with hundreds of others I was appointed.
But in the meantime, I spent those 16 years working as a funeral celebrant and in those early days there were only a handful of funeral celebrants covering the whole of Melbourne. Most calls for funeral celebrants came to our office in Keysborough where I was working with Dally and Marj Messenger. We distributed the work between those who were interested in what was then a new type of ceremony!
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There are so many treasured memories, far too many to share - but I would say that my work in funeral celebrancy over the 30 years has been extremely rewarding to me - each funeral is a new challenge and although I can no longer remember most of them, there are still quite a lot that a firmly entrenched in my memory usually for something that has occurred a little out of the ordinary.
I have been lucky to have rubbed shoulders with the famous and infamous, from politicians to millionaires to the underworld. Each of them has had a story to tell. Sometimes in conversation with other celebrants we talk about writing a book - and maybe one day we will, but perhaps not!
Weddings, namings and other ceremonies are also fun but I know that my heart is in funeral celebrancy. I am proud to say that most of my work is now from former clients requesting my services. And as long as they keep asking for me, I will continue to work.
I sometimes get disillusioned when I hear that celebrants are 'doing funeral interviews over the phone' or by 'email', rather than visit clients.
The vision of the pioneering funeral celebrants was to provide a personal service, to visit the grieving family and to gain insight into the life of the deceased and then deliver the very best tribute possible. Each funeral is a new challenge - and as no person has lived the same life, every funeral service should be completely different. If I searched hard enough I still have a copy of every one of the five or six thousand funerals I have done, but very seldom have I had the need to go back.
Where will I be in five year's time? Hopefully - alive! All being well I intend to still be working. It is great to be involved in the circle of life - for many of my families I have officiated at namings, weddings and funerals - sometimes into the third generation. So while the phone keeps ringing I will be there.
One other great thing that has come out of my 30 year journey is the number of wonderful friends I have made within the celebrant organisation. |
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Cranbourne Victoria
For more information about Dawn see www.dawndickson.com.au
Note:
Dawn is the much treasured Secretary & Life Member of The Association of Civil Marriage Celebrants of Victoria Inc.
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