MARGARET Goodman, a woman of extraordinary warmth, resilience, and spirit, passed away on December 24.
The well-known Myrtleford stalwart was born in Yarrawonga on July 10, 1939, the second of five children, to Jack and Neata Matheson.
Throughout her 85 years, she faced challenges with an unwavering determination and left an abiding legacy of compassion and endurance.
At age 11, Margaret was diagnosed with Polio, a battle she met with courage and grace.
She spent three years in hospital in Melbourne for treatment.
Despite the physical hardships it imposed, she refused to let it define her.
With callipers on her legs and a heart full of resolve, she forged a life rich in purpose, laughter and love.
At a dance in her late teens, she met Frank Goodman, the love of her life.
Their 66-year marriage was one of unwavering devotion.
Together, they built a full and happy family, raising five children: John, Georgina, Jude, Caroline and Anita.
Margaret’s passion for and faith in her town were boundless.
From the moment the young family arrived in Myrtleford in January 1967, she threw herself into countless local committees and organisations.
She was involved in the school community for over 50 years and founded the Friends of Myrtleford P-12 Association in 2015.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, she was actively involved in the Tobacco, Hops, and Timber Festival, serving as president for many of those years.
Whilst working at The Myrtleford Times during this era, she used her column, Around Town With Marg, to encourage community involvement, keeping locals informed about events in and around their hometown.
Margaret was a devoted member of St Paul’s Anglican Church and was elated when women could be ordained.
The cross above the entrance to St Paul’s was commissioned by Margaret in celebration of her 50th birthday.
Margaret was a passionate campaigner for women's rights, attending the Women in Politics Conference in Canberra in 1975.
She was a champion of political rights and remained engaged in the democratic process well into her later years, often seen handing out How to Vote cards on election days.
Above all, Margaret fought for disability rights and was a long-time member of the Disability and Advocacy Service in Wodonga, for which she received a Lifetime Membership Award.
She was also instrumental in the Noah's Ark Toy Library, ensuring children with disabilities had access to educational play resources.
Margaret was also one of the campaigners who successfully lobbied against aerial spraying and the use of the herbicide 245T, which had been linked to serious health issues.
In 1990, Margaret's Polio symptoms returned, and she was diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome, which proved even more devastating than her initial Polio diagnosis.
Refusing once again to let this defeat her, she founded the North East Polio Group, providing tireless support for those living with Post-Polio Syndrome and staunchly crusaded for awareness of and immunisation against the condition.
Her contributions made a lasting impact and were recognised in 2019, when she was inducted into the Victorian Disability Awards Lifetime Achievement Honour Roll.
Margaret received numerous other accolades throughout her life, including a Shire of Myrtleford Community Service Award in 1993 and the Alpine Shire Citizen of the Year in 2000.
Margaret’s presence was impossible to miss: visible from a hundred metres, she was audible from even further.
She had a gift for making everyone feel special, whether through her legendary handwritten notes or her endless generosity of time and kindness.
She believed in finding joy in the everyday, in treating everyone with warmth and dignity and in embracing life with open arms.
Margaret often said she wished to be 'slim, rich, and beautiful' and indeed, she was always rich in love and beautiful in spirit, leaving an indelible mark on all who knew her.
She leaves behind a family who adored her and miss her immensely, a community forever enriched by her service and a legacy of kindness, love, and resilience.
Farewell Marg.