Cherry blossom time in Tokyo 3 March 2015. You can see the zipper scar from heart surgery, which after a while she wore with pride, and the little Hohner harmonica we bought at the New York City Library.
About This Site and About Trenna Mahney
By Greg Mahney
About Trenna
You will learn a lot about Trenna as you go through the material on this website. However, if you aren’t already familiar with Trenna here is a quick primer to give you some context to what you find on the site.
Trenna Helaine Seckington was born on 11 September 1957 in Perth Western Australia.
Trenna was quickly diagnosed as having Marfan Syndrome, a connective tissue disorder. Her mother and grand mother were also known to have had Marfan. As a result, Trenna’s mother passed away suddenly when Trenna was just 2 years old.
Trenna’s Dad was not well and was unable to provide full time care for Trenna and her 3 older siblings (none of who had Marfan). So the 4 children were sent to Mofflyn Homes in East Victoria Park, a suburb of Perth.
Trenna’s dad died suddenly when Trenna was 6 years old and she then became a Ward of the State.
Later, and not all at once, the 4 children went and lived at a Legacy hostel, Craig House in South Perth.
When that hostel closed Trenna was 15 years old and she was encouraged to leave school (despite being quite a bright student) to go to business college. She was rehoused at Girls Friendly Society (GFS) on Adelaide Terrace in Perth city.
A number of jobs followed, including two long stints working for the Hospital Benefit Fund (HBF) in Perth.
She married me on 23 October 1989 when she was 32. I was about the same age.
Within 3 months she had had major heart surgery to replace her aortic valve with a metal valve and her ascending aorta replaced with Dacron. All this because of the Marfan.
About a year later Trenna retired from the paid workforce and devoted a lot of effort in supporting me in my career. This also allowed Trenna to start and maintain the extensive record keeping that powers this site.
Trenna remained quite active for most of her life despite her chronic illness. There was however a gradual, and eventually noticeable decline.
In the last couple of years of her life, and all through that first year of the COVID-19 outbreak Trenna suffered from serious heart and lung failure.
She passed away in hospital (NOT COVID related) at about 5pm on Wednesday 23 December 2020.
That’s the bare bones of the story but there is lot’s more to be fleshed out. I hope you will enjoy finding more.
About TrennaMahney.com
The TrennaMahney.com website is the way I have decided to share Trenna’s own memories of her life, and my memories of Trenna. We’ll look at the way she lived her life, and the way she influenced others.
There is a LOT of source material I’ll be calling on. I am launching the site in March 2022 and it is my intention to add material at least weekly for a year or possibly two.
Trenna was very clear that she wanted her story told. She made a number of recordings with me. She also did two recordings with the City of South Perth oral history project in 2016.
On the same page there is also a timed summary of the recordings if you want to jump to a particular part.
She also kept daily written diaries of events, an iPad based diary, a really well organised photo collection going back to her earliest days, travel diaries, home meal menus, a recipe book, other recipes and household hints, poetry, creative writing, medical records, notes from doctor and hospital visits, and just a lot of other stuff.
My challenge is to present it in an interesting way on this website, and throughout the journey I will welcome your comments and feedback, particularly on what you would like to see or how I could do things better.
Please share the information with others.
I am sure that occasionally there will be some sad moments reflected in the things that are published here, but overall I hope to maintain an upbeat and positive tone to the website.
There were a few reasons she wanted her stories told. She thought that family and friends would be interested. But also, people with parallel experiences – those with Marfan Syndrome, visually impaired or otherwise disabled people, people who have a chronic illness, people who lived in institutional care when they were young, or maybe people who grew up in Perth in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Also, people, like Trenna, who are interested in people.
She also hoped that the way she was able to overcome adversity would be inspirational, or at least supportive of those whose life is less than ideal. Maybe some of the ways she overcame hurdles will be of practical use.
To be frank, she also just didn’t want to be forgotten. That’s a perfectly reasonable thought, but I’m confident that anyone who knew Trenna will not be forgetting her.
From my own point of view I want to help fulfill and exceed Trenna’s wishes. No doubt this will be an important part of the grieving process for me, and maybe others. A process that I still don’t understand, and probably never fully will.
Later I will do a separate post where I talk about the role of privacy, Trenna’s privacy, and that of others. In the mean time I can assure you that Trenna made it very clear that she wanted her story told.
I’m expecting that as people take in more and more of the material that I am putting up here they will become more and more familiar with her. Eventually I hope they too will have the wonderful experience of knowing Trenna Mahney.
The distinctive colour was to help her find it on her iPad when the document was minimised.
As far as I can judge, our relationship was a pretty good one. It was based on love and an abundance of shared values. Nevertheless, Trenna was always looking to improve things.
About the time
Growing up in Perth in the 1960s and 70s
by Greg Mahney
Trenna always liked to tell a story. She knew that her life story was interesting and that some people could find comfort in hearing how she coped with what life threw at her.
We had talked about it for a long time
Recording #1 of The Kitchen Tapes 9 April 2018
[GM: This recording of 9 April 2018 was the very first in a series of 24 recordings]
THM: The nineteen sixties were a decade of huge change for me and … for the world.
“…so my childhood was in some ways idyllic, in
A Celebration of Trenna’s Life – 15 January 2021
By Greg
Below is the eulogy I delivered at the Celebration of Trenna’s Life (her funeral). In due course I will do another post explaining what I wanted to achieve from the event and how friends and family helped me to organise it.
One of
By Greg
Setting Some Context
On 15 January 2021 a celebration of Trenna’s life was held. I wanted to hand out a postcard which had a picture of Trenna and a couple of links to a playlist I developed after Trenna passed away a few weeks earlier. I then put up a Facebook post
Recording #2 of The Kitchen Tapes 10 April 2018
GM: OK we’re recording. It’s the 10th of April 2018.
Mofflyn
THM: Right. We’re back at Mofflyn Homes, some more things have come to my memory.
In our cottage the older children looked after the younger children. They had responsibilities.
Younger children had to be bathed by
A little bit of fun is better than none
by Greg
Trenna became aware at some point around 2010 that she was getting out of the house less and less – it was often pretty hard. But she didn’t want to lose touch with the city in which she lived. And she wanted some
By Greg
Business Class Travel – It’s Not For Everyone
In November 2016 my then employer, Advocare Inc, gave me the opportunity to go to a mediation conference in Wellington, New Zealand.
Travel was becoming increasingly difficult for Trenna. Her eyesight was very bad and her pain management was not going well. We knew that
Recording #3 of 24 Recorded 12 April 2018
GM: This is a recording of Trenna Mahney made on the 12th of April, 2018. Tren, let’s talk about the time you lived down near the Old Mill.
19 Mill Point Road
THM: Alright, OK, well that was 1975. I was heading to being 17, 18.
About This Site and About Trenna Mahney
By Greg Mahney
A quick note before you start. If you have read the “About” page of this website you can ignore this particular post as the contents is the same as on that page. If that’s you, just scroll down.
About Trenna
You will learn a lot
Recorded 13 April 2018
Before we Start
[GM: As the title suggests, this was the fourth of 24 recordings done at our kitchen bench in Kensington, Western Australia. As part of the preparation for putting it on this website, in February 2022, I asked our friend Helen to read through this transcript and the
by Greg
A Need to Cope with Life
This is a list of some of the strategies Trenna adopted to try to cope with life and her many medical issues. She didn’t have a specific list of these items. This is just the things I remember us trying.
I’m expecting (hoping?) that this post
By Greg and Trenna
Reliving the Experience
Looking through Trenna’s iPad I came across the document she wrote to review/record the Black Sabbath concert we went to along with a friend, Adrian. It was the first time I had read this piece since 2016.
It immediately brought back memories of a really fab night.
By Greg
I started to watch The Andy Warhol Diaries on Netflix last night. It reminded me of two instances when the great artist and the great woman connected…….
Trenna at the Western Australian Art Gallery – 16 December 2012.
https://videopress.com/v/6svI2nFw?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true
Starring Helen and Trenna. Melbourne 2016.
Recorded 14 April 2018
GM: OK, so we’re here with Trenna Mahney. It’s the 14th of April, 2018. Tren, you were going to tell me about when you left Mofflyn Homes and went off to Craig House.
THM: Alright. It is a blurr. That time in my life was lost to me a little.
Below is the the eulogy delivered by Trenna’s oldest sister, Nancy Seckington-Baker at the celebration of Trenna’s life.
Eulogy
Greg has shared his story of Tren’s story. He has stressed I have 5 minutes.
We have endless, wonderful stories of our sister Trenna.
A truly life WELL LIVED.
However those stories are for another time and
A screen shot from Trenna’s iPad
[Note from Greg: I don’t think for one moment that when Trenna prepared this piece on her iPad that she just added a nice picture to the top. I think the fact that she is standing on an island (Staten), with the rest of the
Below is the the eulogy delivered by Trenna’s friend, Helen Rice at the celebration of Trenna’s life.
Eulogy
I met Trenna in October 1967 when I moved to Craig House a hostel for Legacy children.We bonded instantly as we were the youngest at Craig House at that time. She became my closest friend very
Recorded on 15 April 2018
Primary School Days
GM: OK, today is Sunday, the 15th of April 2018, I’m with Trenna Mahney, and she’s going to continue telling us about her memories of her past. Tren, last time we were talking with you you were on your way to school …
THM: I was talking
By Greg
The time had to come in the life of this website when I had to write about THE Rolling Stones concert. For one reason I have HUNDREDS of photos Trenna and I took at the concert, and for another, Trenna and I had such a good time.
The Very Earlier Story
Trenna told
By Greg, and then Trenna
Trenna and I lived in Darwin the capital of the Northern Territory from 1995 to 1997. Darwin, for our international readers is well and truely in the tropics.
This is our copy of Microsoft Word Version 5. It came with 5.25″ floppy disks, 6 printed manuals, and a
Recorded 19 April 2018
Meals at Craig House
GM: OK, today is the 19th of April 2018, with Trenna Mahney. Tren, can you tell me whatever you can think of about Craig House.
THM: Well, Craig House was quite posh in some ways. It was formal in that we had to dress for dinner each
By Greg
As the title suggests, this is the second part of the story, the first part is here.
Near the Stage
So there we were, in the tongue pit with Tren’s great friend Sue, who she probably hadn’t seen for a couple of years, and Sue’s sister, Judy.
“Ahhh! You’ve got the same top as
… and Trenna’s Voice, Recording Kitchen Tape No. 8
By Greg, and then Trenna’s own voice
The popular-culturally literate among you will immediately be thinking “Being John Malkovich”.
What’s this got to do with Trenna?
Well….
I have decided that in most cases I’m NOT going to put the original sound recordings on this website
Recorded on the 20th April 2018
Mainly About Meals
[GM: Before we start. Also see the post “Floor 7 1/2” as it contains a player to hear “Tape 8 from the Kitchen” spoken in Trenna’s own words.]
GM: OK, today it is Friday the 20th of April, 2018. Tren, yesterday we were talking about
By Greg
Palm Sunday, 27 March 1988
Here is a special bonus post, because it is Palm Sunday today. Neither Trenna nor I were religious, but there is a story related to this day that Trenna and I always remembered.
Setting The Scene
I got together with Trenna at the very start of 1988, so
A New Series of Posts Based on Trenna’s Records of Evening Meals
A New Career and a New Kitchen
In 1990-91 Trenna and I employed builders to do our first home renovation. Trenna had recently resigned from her job at the Hospital Benefit Fund (HBF) and therefore had the time to keep a
March 1992
Rissoles, Rumah Batik and Sunday Sessions
The first thing I notice about this menu sheet is that there are a number of crossings out. I think at first Trenna was drawing up the sheets with what she expected we would be eating. Then when circumstances changed she had to cross
This Kitchen Tape Recorded on 21 April 2018
GM: OK, today is Saturday, 21st of April, 2018 and I’m with Trenna Mahney. Tren, you were going to tell us a bit more about Craig House, I think?
THM: Alright. The main house – I was talking about the kitchen and the back enclosed… well,
April 1992
Anzac Day and Hungry Jack’s
Saturday 4 April. “Ragaletto”! A pasta sauce from a jar!? Could this be right? Then I remembered that when we were first together and both working it wasn’t uncommon for us to have Dolmio brand pasta sauces from a jar. On this occasion I
Strategies and tips used by someone with a degenerative condition and chronic illness
By Greg
Things Trenna and I Tried, That Worked
in no particular order
This is the second part of this list. For the first part please click here.
I’m already working on part 3 as things we have done in the past pop
May 1992
Nibblies, and Scones for Dinner
Monday 4 May. Steak with green pepper sauce, herbed spud, beans, carrots. Tren describes it as gluggy but yummy. She is referring to the green pepper sauce. I haven’t had it for years. It was made with peppercorns that came in a small green
Recorded 22 April 2018
Early Years at Craig House and with the Andersons
GM: OK, today is Sunday 22nd of April, 2018. We are with Trenna Mahney. I think Tren you wanted to talk a bit more about the early years at Craig House.
Craig House
THM: Right. I don’t really remember getting to Craig House.
The Eleventh Kitchen Tape
Recorded 4 May 2018
Greg’s Notes: During this recording Trenna started to remember more details about her very early life as she cast her mind further and further back. You can “hear” this is some of the sentences in this transcript. At the end she told me that it had
Intro by Greg, Wisdom by Trenna
Here is another pearl from Trenna’s iPad. It looks like she started it on 27 April 2016 (at 10:31 am) but then didn’t edit it again until 31 May 2017. (How nerdy is that detail I’ve given you?!)
PLEASE NOTE: It is a 3 page
By Greg & Trenna
This wasn’t the first time that it was suggested that Trenna might need to see a psychiatrist. See also this anecdote from when she was a child.
The recent post “The Key to Happiness and Fulfilment” got me thinking of a visit to Trenna’s cardiologist, which ended up turning
Hi Greg
The website is wonderful and such a great legacy to Trenna’s unique life.
I am really looking forward to discovering more about the backstory of the beautiful soul we knew as Trenna.
Cheers
Amanda
Thanks Amanda, and very nice to hear from you.
Thanks for creating and sharing this Greg. I have always loved listening to Trenna share her stories with me. And now I can continue to do so 🙂
Lovely to hear from you Ruth (who was Trenna’s OT).
Being able to continue to hear Trenna is certainly one of the reasons I built, and continue to add to, the site.
Greg
4 replies on “About”
Hi Greg
The website is wonderful and such a great legacy to Trenna’s unique life.
I am really looking forward to discovering more about the backstory of the beautiful soul we knew as Trenna.
Cheers
Amanda
Thanks Amanda, and very nice to hear from you.
Thanks for creating and sharing this Greg. I have always loved listening to Trenna share her stories with me. And now I can continue to do so 🙂
Lovely to hear from you Ruth (who was Trenna’s OT).
Being able to continue to hear Trenna is certainly one of the reasons I built, and continue to add to, the site.
Greg