YOUR STORY: Child of four nations, Judy calls Australia home

GIUDITTA Stocchero-Fluri with her five children landed in Sydney in January of 1969. It was the start of new life for her and her family in a new country.

GIUDITTA Stocchero-Fluri with her five children landed in Sydney in January of 1969. It was the start of new life for her and her family in a new country.

Giuditta (Judy) was born in 1925 in Northern Italy, one of eight children.

Life was hard but the family was close and loving. She met the love of her life in Switzerland and married. 

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After having two boys the young family migrated to America to start a new life with the promise of great opportunities. Her husband passed away at a very young age, leaving Judy and children alone in a country where she had no family.

Giuditta (Judy) Stocchero-Fluri, pictured in 1949.

Having two brothers and a sister that had migrated to Australia earlier, Judy made the decision to sell her home and move the family to Australia and start a new life here. 

Things weren't easy here for her. Judy couldn't really find a place where she could settle and call home and found herself moving every few years, having lived in Queanbeyan, the Gold Coast, Lismore, Armidale, Stanthorpe, Warwick, Elliott Head (near Bundaberg), Maleny and Yangan.

Judy dedicated her life to raising her children and as they left home (some moving back overseas) she kept herself busy knitting, being creative and starting new hobbies. Her knitting stretched from the standard jumpers to a thick carpet for the whole house.

She enjoyed collecting and putting it all on display. Her collections ranged from exquisite wedding dresses (there was a total of 30 one stage), many paintings, more than 1500 Barbie dolls, various other dolls along, and many other collectables.  If you were looking for something, Judy would sure to have it somewhere in her home.

Judy recently started a new chapter in her life and moved back to Lismore to be closer to her family. She is happy to have experienced having four different countries as her home (Italy, Switzerland, America and Australia), but it is Australia that has been so special to her.

She has travelled back to her "other" countries to visit family and friends but is always happy to return back to Australia.

Judy is now the surviving oldest sibling, with a younger sister (85yrs) still in Italy and the youngest sister and two brothers still alive here in Australia.

Although "old age" health issues such as macular degeneration and cancer concern her - she remains of good mind and is looking forward to her 90th birthday on August 16, to be celebrated with a family luncheon at Lismore.

Her advice for those seeking to match her longevity is to stay positive and happy and to eat a good Mediterranean diet (including her coffee and the occasional glass of wine).

Judy's positive nature, breaking out into a song or telling a joke, is what keeps her going.  She wishes everyone could make it to her great age.

Originally published as YOUR STORY: Child of four nations, Judy calls Australia home