Evelyn noted that she wouldn’t pay attention to her age: it was much more important for her to embrace each day as it came.

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From the moment you met Evelyn, you could feel the happiness that radiated from her.

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Evelyn grew up on a farm in Shellharbour and would ride one of her family’s horses to school each day. Her older brother taught her how to ride a horse when she was young, although Evelyn said he always went too fast – and if she asked him to slow down, he would only speed up!

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Evelyn’s family was extremely loving and close, and she loved her father dearly. She recalled that she ‘absolutely adored’ him and always tried to be just like him. He was fantastic with cattle and horses and could get them to do anything he wanted.

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Evelyn’s mother was an incredible pianist, and was once even asked to play for the King of England – their family still has a certificate of appreciation for this accomplishment. Evelyn also played the piano; however, couldn’t compare her talent to her mother’s. One of Evelyn’s favourite memories is resting her head against the piano as her mother would play, and feeling the music flow through her.

 

Evelyn was extremely artistic, and loved to get her hands on anything creative that she could find. She was a beautiful artist, a moving poet, and a passionate singer – constantly singing any song stuck in her head.

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Evelyn joined the air force during the war and worked as a decoder. In 1943 she was married to her husband Ted, who she met as he leaned against a post, asleep in his uniform. She loved a man in uniform!

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Together, Evelyn and Ted had three children, and would become grandparents to five, and great-grandparents to seven children. Evelyn felt so lucky to have such an amazing family by her side, and you could tell how proud she was by how she spoke about each of them.

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When asked about some wisdom she could pass on to younger generations, Evelyn exclaimed that she wouldn’t have a clue! However, she noted that she wouldn’t pay attention to her age: it was much more important for her to embrace each day as it came.

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When asked about what it’s been like living at Warrigal, she said, “The people at Warrigal have been very nice to me.”