Judith Jerome (Andrew ) YHS 1938 - was born in 1926, the oldest daughter of Dr James Moore Andrew and nurse Catherine Dorothy Mawson. She was raised in the town of Yallourn with her sister Margaret Noel and brother David Bradbury. Judith attended Yallourn Primary School and then Yallourn High School until she went to school in Melbourne as a boarder for forms four and five. After her schooling, Judith entered her nurse training at The Royal Melbourne Hospital. She completed her general nursing in 1948 and continued her studies to become a midwife and infant welfare sister. As children of the first doctor of a growing township, Judith and her sister and brother shared their childhood and home-cum-doctors clinic with a diverse cultural and economic section of the community. Their home was a welcoming environment, in both a social and caring capacity and it was not unusual to have visitors at all hours of the day and night. Judith shared recollections with her own family, of her father responding to midnight medical calls, medical and social visitors, orchestral recitals, regular Sunday night evening diners and ‘live-in’ guests. Judith’s chosen nursing profession reflects her background and her own caring nature. The family’s strong involvement in the scouting and guiding movement meant Judith experienced numerous overnight hiking and camping expeditions to the Victorian High Plains, sometimes as a family but often with a group of Rover scouts. Weekend picnics to Tara Bulga National Park, Mt Erica and surrounding places in their 29 Willy Knight Model 70A Ford further developed her enjoyment and appreciation of the outdoors. The family could be gone from dawn to dusk exploring their destinations. For Judith with her stoic upbringing, learning to swim in the sometimes swollen Latrobe River was no challenge. The last time she showed off her breast stroke skills was to her family in the Ovens River at their 2005 Christmas camping holiday. Prior to marrying, Judith explored further afield and undertook a working holiday in England. In 1952 she married Keith Jerome, an ex-serviceman graduate from Creswick Forestry School. This was the start of a busy and full-filling life of wife and mother to five children, Catherine, Richard, Susanne, Helen and Carolyn. Her own family life was also to be one of outdoor experiences and adventures. As a family they were involved in the outdoors with bi-annual trips to Eden for holidays on the then remote North Head of Twofold Bay: a very Spartan existence. In Keith’s retirement Judith and Keith made epic journeys throughout Australia camping in a self-converted Hi-Ace van, no 4WD, only bicycles to get them in or out of trouble as the case may be. Living in Cann River, Erica, Yarrawonga, Nathalia, Taggerty and Maryborough totalled five shifts of family and belongings and settling into new friendships and communities. It was at Maryborough with only one child at home that Judith was fully able to pursue her interest and involvement in community. She focused on membership of, and supporting less fortunate groups and individuals particularly those involving children. Judith maintained her Yallourn links by being an active member of Yallourn Old Girls Association (YOGA). She and Keith looked forward to their annual YOGA weekends. It was after these trips that the family heard more about the ‘Yallourn days’ and have been able to progressively build a picture of life in this unique SEC township. As attributed to Judith in the Old Gippstown Heritage Park news following her death ‘Judith will be remembered by future generations through the many photographs and artefacts in the Andrew’s collection in the Yallourn House at Old Gippstown. Her visits to’ and requests from ‘Old Gippstown, were instrumental in identifying many items pertaining to this highly significant collection,’ which devolved more stories about her ‘early years as a daughter of the first medical practitioner at the Yallourn township.’ Judith passed away peacefully at Maryborough on 1st July 2013 with all her family able to be with her. A private service was held in Maryborough. This was Judith’s wish, from someone who was a quiet giver to her family and community
