Many Lake Tyers Beach and Lakes Entrance residents will be saddened to hear of the passing of Gloden Mercer, who passed away peacefully at St Mary’s Aged Care at Pelican Waters in Queensland on January 13 at the age of 90.
Gloden moved back to Queensland in retirement after a famous career in theatre, opera and television.
At the time of leaving Lake Tyers Beach in 2019 she spoke of how hard it would be to leave her dear friends and students, but stated it was time to go home and be close to her goddaughters and family.
She was born on January 19, 1934, to a policeman father, Victor Edwin Mercer, and Nessie (nee Payne), a dramatic singer on the ABC. From an early age Gloden was fascinated by songs and began lessons with her mother. When she was nine, they moved to Rockhampton and stayed there during the war.
The family moved back to Brisbane after the war and Gloden started formal training in singing with Erb Jordan. She participated in many eisteddfods, concerts and amateur theatre in the following years.
In 1952 she joined JC Williamson’s production of South Pacific and toured all around Australia for two and a half years, finishing up in Melbourne. Gloden started singing on Brisbane Tonight and on the Gold Coast at the Chevron, Hibiscus and Hotel Grand Coolangatta Palm Lounge, but always continued studying and being coached by conductors.
She worked with the likes of Jill Perryman and Nancy Hayes and they all became good friends.
In those days the large theatre companies relied on big overseas names, but gradually they started using local talent.
Gloden toured Australia with Gilbert and Sullivan and became engaged to her first husband. She was then off to New Zealand for eight months in The Mikado before heading back to Brisbane. She then did a stint with JC Williamson in Perth.
After The King and I, she went to Melbourne and did various modelling jobs and was offered a spot in Hello Dolly, but she chose to do opera and was in six productions. This is where she met Joan Sutherland and they became friends.
At this time Gloden lost her mother, but the show had to go on. Joan and Richard Bonynge helped her through such a difficult time and they kept that bond. This was also the time when she first worked with Pavarotti.
Gloden appeared on Melbourne television quite regularly including Homicide, Carson’s Law and Melbourne Tonight with Graham Kennedy, Bert Newton and Joffie Alan. Bert asked her to sing on Good Morning Australia and she did so for the next eight years.
She was with Victoria State Opera for 20 years and the Australian Opera for 10 and had two contracts with Queensland Opera.
Gloden performed in Beauty and The Beast as the Enchanted Wardrobe when Bert Newton was the Clock and this is where she worked with Hugh Jackman. He asked her to sing at his wedding which Gloden saw as a great honour.
In 1973 Gloden met James Fitzpatrick at a Melbourne Cup barbecue. Jim had bought a block of land down at Lake Tyers Beach and when he turned 70 decided to retire and they moved down and built their home.
She still did her opera and touring. Jim followed her itinerary and rang her every Sunday night. At one stage she was performing in Brisbane for six months and he came up and stayed. Gloden spent a lot of time on the train back and forth from Melbourne.
She started teaching singing locally and had many appreciative students. She was very proud of her students and helped many achieve A and A+ for their VCE music and have gone on with their music careers.
Gloden was also respected and appreciated for her singing at local community events and before relocating to Queensland was mentioned in the Lakes Entrance Remembrance Day Service for her commitment to the Lakes Entrance RSL.
After a 39-year engagement, Gloden and James finally married at Wyanga Park Winery.
Gloden was devoted to Jim, but after a fall he spent the last three years of his life at Kalimna Nursing Home where she would visit him often.
When Jim passed away on August 14, 2019, Gloden spoke of the special support she received from everyone and in particular her neighbours Len and Glenys Cheney. She said that she didn’t know how she would have coped without them and also Terry Kavanagh, the president of the Lakes Entrance RSL at the time.
Gloden found it hard to leave Lake Tyers Beach, but she knew Jim would understand that she wanted to go home to Queensland. She made her home in Caloundra and enjoyed being with her family.
After such a creative and fulfilling life Gloden can rest in peace with her beloved Jim.
