Cricket's Faith Thomas is being remembered by her friends, family and community as more than just a legend of sport.
WARNING: Faith Thomas's family have granted permission to use her name and images.
As well as being the first Aboriginal woman to play cricket for Australia, Thomas was also a proud Adnyamathanha woman, devoted nurse, community health advocate and much-loved family member.
Her grandson Reehan Thomas was by her side when she passed away at the age of 90 on Saturday in Port Augusta.
"She was always loving and always looked after us, she was always joking, she was never too serious," he said.
"She'd teach us about respect, to be hard workers, look after your family."
Thomas was among the first Aboriginal nurses to graduate at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and her grandson said the family's loss would be felt far and wide across the region.
"All the hundreds of kids that she brought into the world as a midwife, they're all her family," he said.
"Everyone she talked to turned into family somehow.
"She'd always take us to introduce us to the aunties and uncles, she just knew everyone, everyone she talked to was her friend."
'Shining light' for women's cricket
Born at Nepabunna on Adnyamathanha land in South Australia's far north, Faith Thomas (nee Coulthard) was raised at the Colebrook Aboriginal Mission in Quorn.
Biographer and friend Tyson Baird said it was while studying as a nurse in Adelaide that she was introduced to competitive cricket.
"They used to hit rocks around with two-by-fours because they didn't have cricket bats, so that's where she says she got her hand-eye coordination," Mr Baird said.
"She sort of stumbled into cricket, but her natural ability made her a shining light very early on."
Mr Baird said one of her favourite stories was about bowling out English captain Mary Duggan at an international match at the Gabba.
"Faith clean bowled her, the bail came off and the wicket keeper caught the bail and Mary Duggan had a bit of a laugh and trudged off," Mr Baird said.
"She was renowned for her bowling … they were very scared facing up to her and would tell her that."
Known as one of the fastest bowlers in the women's game, Thomas played her first and only Test for Australia against England at Melbourne's Junction Oval in 1958.
She remains one of just four Indigenous Australians to have played in Test for Australia, alongside Jason Gillespie, Ash Gardner and Scott Boland.
A community health advocate
Mr Baird said Thomas's most proud achievements came after she turned down international touring to focus on her nursing career, eventually visiting Flinders Ranges communities as a patrol nurse.
"Faith was at the forefront of trying to make their lives better and get services out to them," Mr Baird said.
"She was a very proud Adnyamathanha woman, but she knew that there were systems she had to work with to create change … she really was the epitome of what reconciliation and working together is all about."
Thomas also used her profile to advocate for regional communities and cultures.
"She was personal friends with people like [the first Aboriginal governor in Australia] Sir Doug Nicholls, her colleague Lowitja O'Donoghue, Charlie Perkins and Don Dunstan … so she had the ear of many change makers.
"She really was a treasure of the mid-north region of South Australia and beyond."
