Born in September 1924, Joy has lived a century filled with family, love, and cherished memories. As she looks back on her life, Joy still finds it surreal. "I can't believe I made it to be 100 years old," she says, smiling. "I keep forgetting, and people keep reminding me."
Growing up in the small town of Werris Creek, near Tamworth, Joy was one of nine siblings. Her father worked on the railways, and like many families at the time, times were tough. She recalls her and her sisters having to leave high school early. "Dad couldn’t afford the cost of transport for us to keep going, so we stayed home and got jobs locally. I went to work on the local switchboard, and I helped out around the house and with my siblings."
Looking back, Joy reflects on her childhood with fondness. One of her favourite things was spending time with her cousins during the holidays. "We didn’t get to see them often, but when we did, it was special. Back in those days we would travel by horse and cart to see them - memories I treasured," she says, smiling, as she remembers the fun she had.
One of Joy’s most treasured childhood memories was being spoilt by her father. “That was always top of the list,” she said with affection, “along with spending time with my grandmother, who I was named after." And her most treasured possession is her 100 year old teddy bear, given to her at birth, which she still has with her today.
At 16, Joy’s life took a romantic turn when she met her future husband, Eric, at a local dance. "Eric and I loved going to the local community dances," she says, smiling at the memory. "It was old-style ballroom dancing, and we enjoyed every moment." The couple’s shared love for music and dancing brought them closer, and soon after, they were married.
Together, Joy and Eric settled in Shortland, where they raised five children, including a set of twins. “The birth of my twins, a girl and a boy, was my fondest memory, as this was the start of our beautiful family. Then later we had 3 more girls.”
They bought a house on Blanch Street, which became the heart of their growing family. Joy speaks fondly of their home and garden. "We had a nice garden and a greenhouse," she said proudly and with a little grin, continued. "We liked to think we had a green thumb."
Joy’s family means everything to her, and she beams with pride when talking about her wonderful and supportive children. With seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, her family brings her happiness. “I love spending time with them, and watching them grow and achieve their milestones,” said Joy.
Joy’s daughter, Michelle, fondly recalled a childhood memory of Saturday mornings spent with her mum as she styled her and her sister Deb’s hair. They were six and five at the time. “Mum was a novice hairdresser and used to practise on us. We would have these high curled puffed-up hair do’s that would take hours, and we’d have to sit for hours with rollers in our hair and copious amounts of hairspray, all to play outside when mum was finished,” said Michelle, laughing at the memory.
Michelle also mentioned her mum's passion for music. “Mum had lessons to learn to play the organ. She would set up sheet music and have ‘ladies’ days’, where they would all sit around and play tunes on the organ, while enjoying high tea together and discussing the topics of the day,” said Michelle, then added, “She also loved Ann Murray and Engelbert Humperdinck. And her favourite movie was Gone with the Wind and the line ‘Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn’, which she thought was hilarious.”
While Joy never had a desire to travel the world, she and Eric did explore much of Australia. "Why would I want to go anywhere else in the world?" she asks. "Everyone I love lives here." That said, Joy did make one trip abroad that left a lasting impression - a royal-themed tour of England. A devoted royalist, Joy had dreamed of visiting the home of the British monarchy. "I’ve always loved everything to do with the Royal Family," she confesses. "Eric and I went to England and took the Royal Tour. It was one of my travel highlights."
Joy's favourite time of year has always been Christmas - mostly because it brought the whole family together. Every November, she made homemade Christmas puddings and hung them out to dry on the back veranda. "I’d put old pennies in them, and the kids would get so excited when they found them," she says with a chuckle. "Of course, they had to give them back for next year’s pudding!"
