Jan Stevens captivated members of the Rotary Club whilst telling her life journey.
Gandparents, Dougal and Bertie Elliott came to Numurkah in 1948 as licensees of the Shamrock Hotel. Mother and father were dairy farming on Gunbower Island, with mother choosing to come back to Numurkah to be with her parents when Jan was born.
Many happy holidays were spent in the Shamrock with grandparents and their friends.
Jan recalled at that time Numurkah had very deep gutters which had to be swept everyday. Fascinated by the guttersweeper, Nan bought Jan a little broom and she would proudly sweep the gutter with Mr. Bob Beswick,
The shopkeepers all got to know Jan and she was well cared for wherever she went.
Eventually Jan and her mum came back to live with the grandparents in the hotel. A separated women bring a child to live in a hotel was not accepted by some at that time.
Jan told of some of her experiences living n the hotel.
Schooldays were wonderful, Numurkah Primary then Numurkah High School. Jan organises a reunion every 5 years.
In 1966 offered a job in the ANZ Bank, marrying in 1969, had to resign as married women were not permitted to work in the bank.
Offered a job at Heard Brother, with Gerald and Graeme Heard, John Weppner, Beryl Ingram and Karen Brown, they were happy days.
In 1975 things on the dairy farm took a downturn and applied for a job at the Yarroweyah Road House much to the horror of her mother.
In 1976 offered a job at Numurkah Primary School, walking out the door 30 years later. Going from Band-Aid lady, answering phones, and writing 3 cheques a month to managing a $2.5 million budget. Jan loved every minute of those 30 years, saying that if you love what you are doing, you'll never work a day in your life.
Happily married for 55 years, with 2 children and five grandchildren.
Now retired play golf, read and volunteer driver for Royal Flying Doctor community transport, the most fulfilling thing in her life.
Jan said she considers herself blessed to claim Numurkah as my home.