Funeral Notices

Fond memories of Working with Kath at Wodonga West Secondary College
and listening to lots of stories on her bush walking adventures.
Yackandandah will always be Peaceful.

Our Deepest Condolences For Your Loss

Kath was a very much loved, deeply respected and valued volunteer for the Office of the Public Advocate. She was tenacious in upholding the rights of the marginalised and was extremely passionate about giving a voice to those who were unable to advocate for themselves. Kath was also a fabulous mentor and leader to her fellow volunteers. She left a great and lasting impact and will be very missed by us all. A life well lived. Rest in peace, Dear Kath.

Di Cahill
OPA Volunteer Coordinator
Office of the Public Advocate

So sad to hear the news of Kathy’s passing. I have so many wonderful memories of great times spent with you all. She was a wonderful inspirational teacher, great mother and wonderful friend to all. Through the sadness remember all the wonderful times you had together with your mum . RIP Kathy.

My condolences to all of Kath’s family. I knew Kath as my Regional Convener at OPA and know that she will be missed by all house residents, who she continually advocated for, and all her Community Visitors.A job well done and Vale Kath.
Neil Michael

I don’t have exact dates or do I know all the schools that Kath was at.
I was very keen to have Kath on the staff at the Wodonga School Support Centre as our aim was to recruit the best teachers in the district so that they could share their knowledge and experience with teachers throughout the district , many in remote locations. Alan Cracknell had great respect for Kath’s intellect and suggested that we might be able to cajole her away from Wodonga High School for at least a short time. This was a brilliant idea. She was a wise mentor to many of the district’s teachers and also the staff at the SSC. One ex principal was very saddened when told of Kath’s death and described her as having a “formidable intellect and excellent knowledge of education”.
Kath and I often travelled together to schools and to Education Department functions, and on these trips we had the chance to talk about many things. I discovered that she lived not far from me in the 1940s in Alphington and that we attended the same primary school – Fairfield Primary School. She was an outstanding student at University High School and entered Melbourne University to study Arts at the age of 16. She was musically talented, fell in love with another musically talented person, left university, got married and did not return to complete her studies until some years later. These studies were successfully completed while raising a young family. When she was well enough qualified to enter teaching she taught at Reservoir and possibly other metropolitan schools. The marriage became very strained so Kath made the brave decision to take her small children to the remote Murrayville High School just near the South Australian border. Here she worked with young Vern Hilditch who was to become principal of Wodonga Senior College many years later.
She later moved to Wodonga High School, served at the Wodonga School Support Centre in the mid 1980s, and in the late 1980s was appointed principal of Wodonga West Secondary College.
Kath was a keen walker and loved being part of a group that frequently explored the high country. It was hard to keep her from leading even in the most remote country. Sometimes her enthusiasm exceeded her navigational skills. This led to a strung-out line of walkers and the possibility of Kath getting lost or the last in the group getting lost. Despite a few anxious moments we all managed to unite around the camp fire at the end of the day.
Our daughter Jenny was taught by Kath at Wodonga High School in the 1980s and has enormous respect for her knowledge and teaching skills. Jenny found her quite inspiring and now at 50, she still maintains a great love of literature expressed through reading and occasional writing.
Teaching is a rare profession where we have the opportunity to influence minds and shape the lives of thousands of humans. Kath seized and derived great satisfaction from this opportunity and did not waste a moment. Her influence will be felt for many many years.