Edna’s values an inspiration to all
CELEBRATION OF LIFE
EDNA JEAN JOHNSTON
Born: October 10, 1926
Died: March 26, 2019
Edna Jean Johnston was born at the Benalla Nursing Home on October 2, 1926.
She was the third youngest of eight children to Jane and William Berger.
She grew up on the family farm of “Elderside” some distance out of Benalla.
It was on the farm that that she developed the values that she would carry on throughout her life. Those values were hard work, fun, love and caring for others.
Edna married Ken Johnston on April 24, 1948 and they lived in a house Ken built in Margaret Street, Benalla.
Their first child was Tony in 1949 followed by Terry a few years later.
The boys were then followed by twins Steven and Phillip and finally she completed her perfect family giving birth to a beautiful daughter she named Jane in 1961.
Jane and Edna were not just mother and daughter they were also best friends.
The family had by this time moved to a farm outside of Leongatha off Racecourse Road.
They stayed on the property working hard together until moving 22 years later in 1972 to McDonald Street in Leongatha.
Edna worked at Rayson’s milkbar in Blair Street before assisting the Home Economics teachers at the old Tech School.
Where-ever she went Edna’s personality ensured she formed everlasting friendships.
She was friendly, supportive, loving, stubborn on occasions, brave, tough and above all fun to be around.
She loved following her children’s sport and was particularly proud one day at the MCG when her grandson, Mick, kicked a goal.
The family set her up by getting the spectator behind to tap her on the shoulder and ask who just kicked the goal.
Her proud answer was “my grandson kicked it.”
Edna was gifted and talented from cooking to knitting and cake decorating.
All of her eight grandchildren and many of her 46 great grandchildren would have enjoyed a cake lovingly baked and decorated by Edna.
Edna lost her husband in 2013, but stayed on in the family home until her health forced her to move last year into Woorayl Lodge.
Some three years ago one of grandsons purchased a horse and named it Kenedna after his grandparents. It is fitting that like Edna and her now departed husband Ken it’s also a champion.
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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on May 7 2019. Filed under Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
