A Special Gift Filled with St Mary’s Memories

St Mary’s College was recently honoured to receive a very special gift from the Geddert family, celebrating their son James’ time at the College and the many memories created throughout his years at St Mary’s.

The painting of the St Mary’s College Brothers’ House was created by Year 12 parent Deirdre Geddert as a heartfelt expression of her family’s gratitude to the College.

The artwork began with a series of charcoal drawings by James, each depicting memories and moments from his St Mary’s journey. These drawings formed the foundation for the finished acrylic painting and reflected the many experiences that have shaped his time at the College.

Among the memories captured were the Purcell Tree, the Boeing sign, a memorable helicopter visit, award ceremonies and the beef pies enjoyed at many of them, orange slices, and memorable phrases from Chemistry and Future Solutions classes. There were also references to paella from Spain, chess pieces, sunglasses, lights and robots, the Formal red carpet and, of course, the iconic choccy milk.

Together, these seemingly small details tell a much bigger story about James’ years at St Mary’s and the people, experiences and everyday moments that made them memorable.

In sharing the artwork with the College, Deirdre wrote:

“He carries his confidence from this place thanks largely to you. May this canvas serve as a lasting reminder of the profound difference you make as educators, and how deeply valued you are by our family, and by all the students of SMC.”

We sincerely thank the Geddert family for this thoughtful and deeply personal gift. The painting is a wonderful reminder that a student’s College journey is made up of so much more than what happens in the classroom. It is the friendships, traditions, teachers, opportunities and little moments along the way that stay with them long after their time at St Mary’s comes to an end.