Ruth Annette Latukefu (nee Fink)

Alopi Latukefu Baby Ruth and her brother Thomas in Germany (circa 1932). Thomas was to end up in England where he lived before and after the war after winning a design.competition.

Alopi Latukefu Last photo of Ruth in Frankfurt am Main before escaping Germany and making a new life in Australia

Heather Goodall Lotte Fink - Ruth's mother - talking with her friend Lucy Woodcock, in Lotte's Sydney home in the late 1930s. As principal of Erskinville Public School, Lucy was able to assist Ruth's early learning in English so that she passed for High School and later University. Ruth continued to have a close friendship with Lucy even after her mother's death. To honour Lotte's struggles as an emigre, Ruth transcribed her mother's letters, gave us this photo and generously assisted our research into Lucy's life as a way to show how her mother made a new home for herself and her family.

Alopi Latukefu 11 year old Ruth and her mother Lotte Augusta Fink (nee Freund) in Kings Cross circa 1942.

Alopi Latukefu A gift of a book of collected, dried and catalogued Australian plants from Bill Cantwell to the then 11 year old Ruth Fink. Ruth continued the tradition of giving books about science and scientific knowledge as gifts to her children and grandchildren over the years. Bill continued to be part of Ruth’s life up until her death in 1990. A friend of Ruth’s parents she was also very well connected with prominent and up and coming Australian artists including James , Margaret Preston and Sidney Nolan who were also ended up being friends with Ruth’s parents.

Alopi Latukefu Ruth at 16 with her mother Lotte and brother Thomas

Alopi Latukefu Ruth relaxing in Newport after completing her third year exams

Alopi Latukefu Fieldwork for her honours thesis with communities in Brewarrina.

Alopi Latukefu Ruth with members of the Wajarri Murchison community (WA) where she worked on research for her PhD (1955-57). The exact date for this photo is not specified so 1956 has been used as an approximate date.

Alopi Latukefu Ruth awarded her PhD from Colombia University

Alopi Latukefu Ruth at Newport (December 1963) before embarking on research on Lepani Watson’s House of Assembly Campaign in the PNG

Alopi Latukefu Engagement party for Sione and Ruth in Newport

Alopi Latukefu Rev Dr Sione Latukefu and Ruth Latukefu at their wedding in Sydney (4 June 1966)

Alopi Latukefu Birth of Lotte Mele Vaimoana (daughter)

Alopi Latukefu Ruth and Sione celebrate their daughter Lotte Mele Vaimoana’s first birtdhay

Alopi Latukefu Birth of ‘Alopi Sione (son)

Alopi Latukefu Ruth and Sione outside their home in B8 3rd street in Waigani with Nicky, Mao and Sakata prior to their departure from PNG after 19!years of service and teaching at UPNG

Alopi Latukefu Ruth with Lotte, Milly (the dog) and ‘Alopi

Alopi Latukefu Ruth and Sione with Bishop Patelesio Finau. Not exactly sure when this was photo was taken but around 1992.

Alopi Latukefu Ruth and Sione on visit to USA around 1992. On the visit they managed to catch up Ruth’s Aunt Kate Lorch (nee Freund)(ust before she passed away at 91. Kate lived during the summer in Vermont where this photo was taken.

Alopi Latukefu Rev Dr Sione Latukefu passed away.

Alopi Latukefu In 2007 the Fink and Latukefu families along with Clive Kessler celebrated Ruth’s mother’s Lotte’s life with a plaque marking her resting place at Rookwood Cenetery

Alopi Latukefu Ruth maintained her links with the Latukefu side of the family. In 2008 Uasele (the then Latukefu) passed away. Ruth returned to Tonga for the funeral.

Alopi Latukefu Celebrating Ruth’s 80th birthday.

Alopi Latukefu In 1949 Ruth and a university friend trekked in Tasmania including Cradle Mountain. In 2016 on a visit to Tasmania Ruth returned to cradle mountain and Dove Lake for another look.

Alopi Latukefu Playing upwords with her youngest grandchild Lonnie Rooney.

Alopi Latukefu Ruth jams with her grandsons on Mother’s Day 2018 on the water bird caller she bought in Broome Markets a decade and a half earlier.

Alopi Latukefu Ruth at ‘Alopi and Stacie’s wedding in 2019.

Alopi Latukefu On her visit to Canberra in March she also caught up with Latukefu and the Canberra and Queanbeyan based Latukefu family.

Alopi Latukefu On her visit to Canberra in March 2021, Ruth was keen to go to the new retrospective exhibition of her friend Merv Bishops work at the National Film and Sound Archive. Ruth and Merv had connected later through their shared interest in photography ans Ruth’s early photographic documentation during her research in Brewarrina. Merv, who is particularly famous for a photo of Gough Whitman pouring Pindan earth into the hands of Vincent Lingiari in recognition of Aboriginal Land Rights in the NT, was also born and bred in Brewarrina himself and had come across Ruth’s work in AIATSIS. What a pleasant surprise it was for Ruth to not only get to exhibit but catch up with Merv himself.

Alopi Latukefu Ruth caught up with Pakwasi Nyamekye who grew up in PNG and remained a lifelong friend to ‘Alopi and the Latukefu family.

Alopi Latukefu Ruth with granddaughters Mina-Siale and Lotte

Alopi Latukefu RUTH by Moya Germaine I first met Ruth when she was appointed tom the position of Reader in the Psychology Department of the University of Western Australia. We were both staying at the University Women’s College at the time. When I moved to Sydney and Ruth was back from her studies in New York, we took little trips out of the city in her little cream coloured VW “beetle”. On one of these trips, we drove to Binna Burra up in the mountains in Southern Queensland. As the lodge there was full, we set up the tent on the lawn outside and slept there overnight. The next morning the horrified managed told us we had camped near a hidden nest of snakes! Our friendship flourished over the years, no matter where we were in the world. I had the honour of being one of her bridesmaids when she married Sione in the mid 1960s. Ruth helped over one of the most difficult periods of my life, for which I am forever grateful. She has always been kind, warm, generous, hospitable and understanding to me. I shall truly miss her.

Samantha Yatovitz Dear Lotte & ‘Alopi, Our hearts are with you as you farewell your dear mother, Ruth. An unforgettable, remarkable, inspiring and fascinating woman who is already so dearly missed. Much love to you and to your entire family, Sam & Hersh Yatovitz Photos: Ruth & Jackie, Ruth with Ria Murch & Hersh

Touhuni Puopua Dear 'Alopī, Lotte and family, It is with sadness to learn of the passing of your dear mother, the esteemed academic, Dr. Ruth Fink Lātūkefu. We all got stranded in Fiji in December 1983 but this was a "blessing in disguise" as mentioned by Rev. Dr. Sione Lātūkefu during our short devotion on that Sunday morning at the Hotel in Nadi. This was the start of many blessings and one of them was meeting Ruth. She helped made up my mind to go back to full-time study following my retirement in 2018. In her last letter she was so proud of you both updating me of your successful careers as well as the grandchildren's achievements in their education. She also encouraged me with this note: "I hope you will complete the Master of Teaching and be able to teach Tongan, not just to Aussie children but to the many Aussie born Tongans who don’t know how to speak it! .... I hope we will all have a better year than last, and thank you for remembering me. I hope your Tongan language teaching will have many students interested in the language. Best wishes, ‘ofa atu, Ruth" It is I, who wish to thank you for remembering me, Ruth. Mālō 'aupito. "Folau ā". 'Ofa atu. 'Ofa atu 'Alopī, Lotte and the rest of your family. May God's peace be with you all during this difficult journey. Uanivā Havea, Tēvita Havea & Family, 'Inamo, Sydney.

Stacie Murphy Thinking about Ruth I met Ruth on an Electric Shadows movie date with ‘Alopi back in the autumn of 1994. From that time, and for the next 26 years or so, she warm-heartedly brought me into the family fold. Ruth was a true matriarch and my strongest memories of our times together centre around her love for family and friends, her deep appreciation of the efforts of others and her delight and satisfaction in the little things in life. From my experience, Ruth found great pleasure in the small things, and often wanted to share experiences that she loved with ‘Alopi, Mina-Siale, Lotte and myself. Whether that be watching a good ABC show together, having a meal at her favourite Chinese or Japanese restaurant in Newport, leading us through the Red Cross shop or flying kites while picnicking in the Northern Beaches, Ruth loved to share what she loved. Ruth was excellent company, her matter-of-fact nature along with her considered and progressive views ensured rich mealtime, or anytime, conversation. I will remember hearing Ruth and ‘Alopi deep dive into issues of interest over cups of tea before dawn – that was their special time together. Ruth was very welcoming of family and friends in Newport. I loved hearing about visits by my extended family and how they got to know each other. Ruth was very curious about others and often surprised me with how much she knew and could recall about the lives and interests of family members and friends, me included. Ruth and I had a shared interest in the experiences of Australia’s First Nations peoples. She was keen to know about my experiences training as a nurse in the Kimberley and to talk about my work when focused on the concerns of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Equally, I enjoyed hearing about her extraordinary work in Brewarrina and the Murchison in the 1950s and her ongoing advocacy such as through her local Aboriginal Support Group...cont.

Stacie Murphy Thinking about Ruth (cont.) ...I will remember Ruth for her generosity, particularly in support of our little family for which we will be forever grateful. Ruth was also very thoughtful, we loved that she would assiduously search for toys, DVDs and books (both new and pre-loved – courtesy of the Red Cross Shop!) for Mina-Siale and Lotte to match their interests across their stages of development - often selecting the perfect one. In fact, we all have a collection of carefully selected “books from Baba” that will provide entertainment and memories for years to come. I will miss the precious times we spent with Ruth hearing stories, discussing current affairs, touring her garden and relaxing with her on her deck while we indulged in cheeses and appreciated the ocean view, shaded by her beautiful big flame tree. There is a lot to be learned from how Ruth led her life, she has and will continue to provide a much-loved role model for the girls and I. Ruth’s strength and guidance has supported ‘Alopi and I through many of life’s challenges and her passing leaves a huge void. She was a remarkable and unforgettable woman, and our memories of her and our family times together will be cherished.