Nancy has seen a lot in her 90 years of life. Born in Australia, Nancy’s journey has been shaped by love, music, and a strong family connection.
Growing up, Nancy found fulfillment in school subjects that allowed her to express herself - art, music, and English. “Well, I wasn’t good at Maths,” she admitted with a laugh, “but I was decent at English, History and Geography.” Nancy left school at the age of 15, which she explained was common practice for many young people of her age.
However, it was music that truly captured Nancy’s full attention, “I always loved music,” she says, remembering the happiness it brought her as a young girl. This love for music would later become an important part of her life, as she spent time as a singer, performing in a band during her youth, “I was in a band years and years ago,” she recalled fondly. “I can’t remember the name of it, but it was such a great experience. I would get on stage with a microphone and sing for people - it was so much fun!”
Though Nancy found great delight in music, her childhood wasn’t without its challenges. When she was around 12 years old, her mother didn’t have a stable home, so Nancy went to live with her grandparents for a while, “My grandfather thought the absolute world of me and would do anything for me,” she said with a smile, “But my grandmother was a little stricter.” She fondly remembered her grandmother giving her money to go and buy herself an iceblock. The close relationship with her grandparents was an important part of Nancy’s upbringing, and she cherishes those memories.
In her adult life, Nancy found happiness in the company of her husband, Ernest, with whom she shared many years of love, companionship, and shared hobbies. Ernest and Nancy enjoyed many things together, including gardening and cooking, “We used to love gardening…I had loads of pot plants, and both of us would work on the garden together. It was so rewarding” she recalled. Nancy in her spare time would love to cook, “I used to bake cakes and things like that. It was always a joy to do”.
Nancy has a daughter, Karen, who sat beside her during this interview. When asked what advice she’d pass on to her daughter, Nancy laughed and said, “I could tell her a lot of things. Don’t do this, don’t do that. I just worry about her.” She spoke warmly about her family, “We’ve got a reasonably good family. We all just get along very well.”
She also offered some general advice, “Just be careful,” she said, “There’s a lot of dangers out there. Just be cautious and careful when you go out.”
In her quieter moments, Nancy likes to indulge in her favourite pastimes. Gardening, as always, remains a soothing activity for her. “I still love it, even now,” she said with a smile. And when she’s not tending to her plants, she’s reflecting on her love for music. Nancy is a big fan of the classics, particularly the songs of American singer, Nat King Cole, “I used to like Nat King Cole. I thought he was pretty good. We used to go to his stadium concert to watch him perform.”
When asked who she’d choose to play her in a movie, she had an answer ready, with help from her daughter, “Somebody who is a singer, because obviously I used to sing a lot. Probably Judy Garland from The Wizard of Oz.”
From singing and music to tending to her garden and raising her family, Nancy’s story is one of enjoyment, contentment and connection.
