Maryborough mourns passing of grazier Lola Jackson

The Maryborough community is mourning the loss of a beloved grazier, volunteer, wife and mother.

The matriarch of an Owanyilla cattle farming family is being mourned after she died this week.

Lola Jackson, 71, had lived on the family farm her whole life after her father, John Stutz, purchased the property in the 1930s.

After starting work on the farm as a 17-year-old in 1932, he married Lola’s mother, Dolly, and bought the farm where they raised their four children.

All the kids helped out with milking the cows and raising pigs as well as growing small crops.

In the 1970s, the family switched to beef cattle.

When Lola met her future husband Dan Jackson in the 1960s, he came to work on the property.

But as times got tough on the farm, he changed to a job in the timber industry to supplement income.

Over the years, as the Jacksons’ children grew up and got jobs elsewhere, the couple’s passion for the farm kept them living there.

As well as being a lifelong grazier, Lola was a volunteer for years at the RSL and the Salvation Army op shop.

She also ran auctions for community charities and assisted with vulnerable elderly people to help them get to events.

Daughter, Danielle Hynes, said her mother was an incredible person.

“Her service to the Maryborough community was never recognised,” Ms Hynes said.

But the money raised went to causes such as Christmas events for children who never received gifts or had parties.

“She was a grazier who lived at Owanyilla on the same farm she was born and she mustered cattle at Poona, Boonooroo, milked dairy cattle and ran it into the old Maryborough Butter Factory.

“She worked hard on the farm all her life but still managed to contribute to the community.”

Lola passed surrounded by loved ones.

She is survived by her husband Dan, children Danielle, Shane and Ryan and her grandchildren.

Her funeral will be held at Life Church on Gayndah Road in Maryborough West on Thursday from 11am.