‘Iron Lady’ Joyce celebrates 100 years

“It is impossible to fit a one hundred year life into a mere paragraph or two” Joyce Kennedy’s son Mick wrote. But nevertheless he has tried to precis the life of his mother ‘Iron Lady’ Joyce Kennedy née Cochrane, who has just notched up her century.

Mick writes: “Joyce was born at Rushworth on 29.6.1921. She was born at the end of the Spanish Flu and has now lived through Covid. She was unlucky to see her mother deceased at a young age and her father deceased in her teen years.

She was lucky she had four siblings, Gilly, Nellie, Dorothy and Mary with the girls basically raising her. She adored all her family and has always wished to be reunited with them. Joycey left school early and, living with Mary, became a farmer.

Joyce met Jack Kennedy and the rest is history.”

We think making the century warrants a big photo as befits a big life. But, as Mick says, we can’t tell about 100 years of an interesting, full and active life even in a few pars . . . so we’ll bring you more of Joyce’s story in the next edition.

In the meantime Joyce is enjoying life at the Waranga Hostel where she is sure to have partied as befits a centurion!