REMEMBERING ROSS
A Eulogy By His Wife , Margaret Tooley
Ross Tooley , a YWAMer from New Zealand , came to evangelise in Singapore with a team in the 1970s , before a YWAM base was even established in the City . They worked with one local church at a time , gave evangelistic training and witnessed door-to-door with the local Christians . Eventually , Ross and his wife , Margaret , moved to the Philippines and pioneered a YWAM base there . He would return to Singapore through the years to teach and speak . On 17 November 2019 , Ross breathed his last and entered into the embrace of his loving Father .
Ross did not have an easy childhood — in fact it might be true to say that he did not have a childhood at all . With his father losing his job , and his mother often ill , the family was frequently fractured , even split up at times . For Ross , this meant living in foster care or the orphanage at certain points in his life . Despite Ross ’ considerable intellectual gifts , his father , who became the family ’ s breadwinner when he was 12 , saw little point in education . Ross left school after Year 11 ( Secondary 4 ) and went immediately to Bible school for 3 years . His father did not object ; for him , it was one less person to be responsible for .
The most significant event in Ross ’ life was hearing Billy Graham preach in Wellington , New Zealand , in 1959 . He raised his hand and went forward to commit his life to God . He never looked back , spending his life spreading the Good News of a welcoming God , and teaching others to do the same . Ross and I met at a small Bible study where he was speaking and recruiting workers . It was not hard to fall in love with this eager young man . Our courtship was often a longdistance one as Ross was involved in missions in the South Pacific . We married in 1969 , and I am very grateful that last year , we were able to celebrate our 50th anniversary with our 4 boys .
The story of Ross ’ mission service is pretty well known , beginning in the South Pacific , and then moving to Asia . We spent the first few years of our married life travelling in Asia — Singapore , Malaysia , Thailand , Sri Lanka , India , and even Burma ( now Myanmar ) with a team of about 12 , ministering in churches and running campaigns . It was hard work , but lots of fun too . We slept on church floors , made friends with the local people , learnt skits and dramas , sang in a ‘ band ’, and shared our faith .
All of us are marked by our early lives , and Ross was no exception . His painful childhood experiences affected his whole life , and shaped vulnerabilities and hurts that he had worked so hard to overcome . But he also attributed his resilience and survival skills , his life-long thrift and his ability to adapt and make do with very little , to those early years . These skills served him well as he lived out his mission for God . He affected many people for good . Since his death , we have received hundreds and hundreds of tributes , on Facebook and by email , from people who respect him , esteem him , and love him dearly , from those whose lives have been turned around , those who have found forgiveness and reconciliation , who have embraced a life of goodness , who have committed to follow Jesus and serve others .
In those last weeks of his life , he moved into the full-time care at St . Andrew ’ s Hospital . The staff said he was an easy resident , no trouble at all , saying little except his favourite phrase , ‘ very good , very good , very good ’, no matter the situation . I am sure he is remembered as ‘ Mr Very Good ’. And perhaps , there is no better description of his impact , his life , and who he was . It was indeed very good .
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