Shirley Margaret LANG (nee Allan)
12^th May 1931 ~ 29^th May 2012

This page is a tribute to my Nana, Shirley Margaret LANG (nee Allan), who died aged 81 years on 29th May 2012. 17 days after her 81^st birthday and 13 months after the death of her first born child, Neville Lang.
Nana was maternal grandmother and my only grandparent alive since 1988 until now. I was lucky enough for Nana to be involved in my children’s lives and so my children will always remember their Great Grandmother – still known as Nana.

Shirley was “Nana” to all the children. Click here to view a beautiful YouTube photo tribute my brother, Paul, put together for Nana.

Nana was born 12^th May 1931 at home at 15 Barton St, Rockdale to Arthur Ernest & Vera Frances ALLAN.
Nana was the second born of 4 children. Nana’s siblings were Eileen Betty ALLAN born in 1928, Trevor Arthur Frances ALLAN born in 1934 and Daphne Joy ALLAN born in 1939.

Nana’s father, Arthur Ernest ALLAN was born in 1908 in Carlton, Victoria, Australia. He was a cabinet maker. Arthur enlisted in World War 2 in the Royal Australian Air Force as a Leading Aircraftman (Flight Mechanic). He married Vera Frances CASEY in 1927 at St Paul’s Church, Kogarah, NSW Australia. Vera was born in 1909 and grew up in Helensburgh NSW Australia.

Nana grew up in the Kogarah in Sydney NSW Australia. Nana met Harold Alexander LANG and married him when she was only 17yrs old at the Presbyterian Church, Kogarah on 18^th September 1948. On the marriage certificate, Harold was listed as being a “Bootmaker” and Shirley was listed as being a “Clerk”. The witnesses to the marriage were Nana’s best friend, Beatrice Wilson and Eric Robinson.

Shirley and Harold had 3 children. The first was Neville John LANG who came in 1949, then Ross Alexander LANG in 1951 and then my Mum, Wendy Margaret LANG in 1952. All children were born in Kogarah. There was a story that my Mum was born in a car as Nana didn’t make it to the hospital!

Shirley and Harold moved around a lot and lived at Taree in the early 1960’s where Nana owned a cake shop called “Shirley’s Cake Shop”.

Nana also owned a cake shop at Spit Junction in Sydney. I loved eating Nana’s custard tarts and other baked goodies.
She was a self-trained pastrycook and was very good at it!

Nana finally settled back in Sydney on the northern beaches, living at Narrabeen, Curl Curl, Dee Why, Forestville and Brookvale throughout the years. It was at Curl Curl that she was only living up the road to me when I was growing up and I could often visit her. I remember her delivering her cakes to the local cafes in her Sigma car.

Nana had been a member of Harbord Diggers and Manly Leagues Club. She loved following the Manly Sea Eagles and loved Steve Menzies.
At Curl Curl, Nana lived next door to Grant Goldman (the radio host).

Nana made the move north to live in Lismore in 2003 and then managed to get a unit closer to the water at Banora Point where she lived up until March 2012. Nana then unfortunately required medical attention in hospital and was eventually moved to the Masonic Care nursing home at Sandgate in Brisbane, Qld so she was close to her family living in Queensland. It was there that she passed away on the 29^th May 2012 in the early hours of the morning – about the time she would’ve normally got up to start work as a pastry cook!

I was lucky enough to visit her the previous week and she had a great big smile for me and rubbed my hands as I was cold.

Nana is survived by her 9 grandchildren (Shane, Daniel, Melanie, Steven, Lesa, Darren, Christopher, Paul and Susan) and 8 great grandchildren (Taylah, Dylan, Jade, Aiden, Hunter, Poppy, Andy and Jaeme).

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