In memory of Julie Roberts

Date:  Wednesday 5th November, 2014


Louise Multicultural Community Centre was saddened by the passing of Julie Roberts on Wednesday 5th November 2014.

When Julie Roberts retired in 1983 from employment in the Education Department, she knew she wasn’t ready to give up teaching altogether. So when, in 1984, she was asked by Sister Miriam Boland (dec) to co-ordinate the English program at her newly opened centre, she was delighted to accept!

She quickly began to realise that the job description of “English Coordinator” was almost peripheral to meeting the needs of the countless refugees. “English,” she said, was “caught on” not “taught” as their friends learned to trust them.

Even more than “teaching” English, Julie appreciated the privilege of being regarded as a friend or surrogate mum and grandma to people who had been forced to flee their homelands and were making a new life in a strange new land.  She became a Life Member of Louise in 2005 and retired from volunteering in 2012.

Julie’s twenty-eight years of selfless commitment to countless migrants, refugees and participants at Louise was an inspiration. She was a much loved member of the LMCC family and she will be deeply missed. Our condolences go out her husband Reg, four children and ten grandchildren.

- Sarah Price-