JOYCE McDonald lived an extraordinary life, filled with love, laughter, great stories and adventure.
The treasured Myrtleford resident, who passed away on January 11, has been remembered as an extremely kind, selfless, and fiercely independent person who was always happy to give a helping hand, and would uplift people with her care, humour and conversation.
Joyce was a loving mother of Margaret, Lynnette, Heather; mother-in-law of Robert, Keith, Denis; adored nan of Shane, Brendan, Simon, Denise, Alanna, Matt, and Kylie; and a cherished great-nana of 14 great-grandchildren.
She was born to Win and Oliver Thorley, and raised in Beechworth, where she successfully completed secondary school in 1946.
She joined the CWA Younger Set in 1944, where she made camouflage nets, hats and mittens for airmen; sewed fruit cakes into calico bags and poured refined dripping into four-gallon kerosene tins.
Joyce was a very intelligent woman and would have gone to university if she could.
She had an extensive vocabulary, loved crosswords and Scrabble and could talk for hours about history or current affairs.
Joyce married Keith McDonald in 1953.
They moved to a dairy in Clemens Lane for seven years where they raised their family, before moving to Prince Street in 1962.
Joyce worked at the Forests Commission in Beechworth and at the high school and the Ampol depot in Myrtleford.
Following Keith’s death in 1988, she travelled extensively.
Her return to the area marked the beginning of over 30 years of dedication to voluntary organisations and community service.
She started the Senior Citizens Hall and organised and catered for over 500 card nights.
She was on a steering committee which re-established the Presbyterian Church in Myrtleford.
Joyce volunteered at the Myrtleford Show on the ladies' committee, as steward of the flower section and the jams and preserves section, which is now named after her.
At one stage she was the secretary and/or treasurer to five different organisations and CWA North-East Group president.
All 260 members were her friends; and she could get a cuppa in any town.
Through the CWA, she helped flood and fire victims, people in war-torn and developing countries, women everywhere and the elderly.
She joined other members in advocacy, covering family violence, suicide prevention, gambling, international aid and bushfire relief.
She created a vast knitting operation: collecting wool seconds from manufacturers, bringing masses home for visitors or grandkids to make balls of wool, before giving it to volunteers with a list of things to knit for the hospitals.
In her spare time, Joyce would visit the elderly and sick in their homes or their nursing home; often advocating for the residents or driving them around town.
She served on the Alpine Shire Transport Committee and helped the council establish Bentley Wood.
When the 2009 fires went through, Joyce visited every farmer in the valley, describing it as a 'heartbreaking, harrowing experience', but was happy to carry on helping where she could.
As a direct result of her volunteer work on the fires, the Rosewhite branch of the CWA was established.
For her community service, Joyce was awarded Alpine Shire's Citizen of the Year Award in 1997.
She was made a life member of the CWA and the Myrtleford Agricultural Show.
On Australia Day in 2012, she was ranked #1 of 12 people featured in the Herald Sun described as 'Heroes of our Nation: the backbone of our community, true-blue unsung heroes who devote themselves to helping others and selfless Victorians who embody the Australian Spirit'.
When the Herald Sun called and told her she had been nominated as an angel, she said: 'I’m no angel, pull the other leg' and hung up the phone.
But Joyce was an angel: an extraordinary inspiration and a natural leader.
Her family is so proud of her great, busy life and love her so much.
May you rest in peace.