Jane White tribute: Evan Hill and Susan Boyne on longtime Ipswich Meals on Wheels manager

A city is mourning the loss of a community stalwart whose legacy will live on for years to come after more than three decades of tireless service.

Ipswich Meals on Wheels manager Jane White is being remembered for her incredible contribution to her community. She passed away on August 4.

Ipswich is mourning the loss of a community stalwart who worked tirelessly for more than three decades to ensure thousands of our most vulnerable had a meal for the day, with her immense legacy to remain for years to come.

Jane White served as manager of Ipswich Meals on Wheels and worked for the organisation for more than 30 years.

She passed away on August 4.

Jane White worked tirelessly for the organisation for more than 30 years.

Queensland Meals on Wheels CEO Evan Hill said it was a longstanding and important tenure the organisation will “forever be thankful for” and she will be sorely missed.

He said Jane played an integral role in the amalgamation of the Lowood, Woogaroo, Laildey and Brisbane Valley services to fall under Ipswich.

“None of that work would have happened without her and all that extra effort she put in to make that happen,” he said.

“The work she has done for us will live on for many, many years in the West Moreton community.

“She’s forever in our hearts.”

Mr Hill said he had seen just how important Jane’s impact had been in his two-and-a-half-years with the organisation and he had worked closely with her in that time.

He said it was a “tremendous loss” for her family, friends and the wider community she had served for so long.

“She had a willingness to take on any challenge,” he said.

“She had a good-natured sense of humour. She set the standard for everybody else of what great community work looks like.

“Nothing was ever too hard for. Everyone was worthy of her time to talk or to work things out.

Jane White played an integral role in amalgamating local services. She is pictured here in 2013.

“She epitomised what Meals on Wheels was all about and we’ll be forever in her debt. We’re all carrying a heavy heart.”

Daughter Bec said she could remember delivering meals with her mum and sister during the school holidays and then as a driver when she was old enough.

“Two years ago a little deja vu happened,” she said.

“I was looking for work that was school hours, just like mum had, so I could spend more time with my kids when a job came up at Meals on Wheels.

“Then at the beginning of this year mum had made the decision that she would semi-retire and next month we were to commence a handover.

“The next few months will be hard as we transition without the handover, but with the help of the others girls in the admin team and the support from the management team and (Queensland Meals on Wheels) I know we will get there.”

Susan Boyne was manager of the Woogaroo branch before retiring a few years ago and worked alongside Jane for 20 years.

“She was a friend first,” Ms Boyne said.

“She was always very helpful to me. Over the years with the changes to legislation, she was much better at that than me and she helped me through.

“She was always very patient. She was always there for me. Nothing was ever too much trouble for Jane.”

During the difficulties faced during Covid-19 over the past 18 months, Ms Boyne said Jane “worked tirelessly” to ensure none of her clients missed out on their meals.

She said she would miss her kind nature and sense of nature.

“It was never nine to five for Jane,” she said.

“She worked whenever she was needed. She always helped anyone who needed it. Many other services benefited, not just my own, from her experience.

Jane passed away on August 4.

“It was Jane’s life. She dedicated everything to it.

“We often had a laugh together. We have grandchildren around similar ages and always swapped stories. She could never do enough for them. I can’t believe she’s gone.

“She was a loyal friend, she was always there for you. She’d help anybody. It didn’t have to be Meals on Wheels. It could be anybody.”

Ms Boyne retired before her branch was amalgamated.

“Jane saw us through all that,” she said.

“If it wasn’t for Jane I don’t know how my service would have gotten through.”

Jane told the Queensland Times in late 2019 she still loved every day leading the Ipswich service.

Married to a member of the Air Force, she returned to Ipswich in 1985 to the town where she went to school.

“When we moved to Ipswich we rented a house in Pring St, and my father was living with us at the time,” she said back in 2019.

“He joined a club to play indoor bowls here at the Meals on Wheels hall, and one day he came home and told me they were looking for help in the office.

‘It was never nine to five for Jane’.

“So I applied and after 12 months was offered the role of coordinator, and 30 years on I’m still here.

“Before that I was a housewife and mother, and in those days it was hard to get a job as employers knew that RAAF families tended to move around a lot, and we did, every few years, but that’s the life of a defence force family.

“I like the job because we’re helping people, and I work with others who actually want to be here. How many people can say that?

“All the volunteers want to be here, and the staff want to be here. Maybe there’s no career path advancement and it’s not the highest-paying job in the world but you get great job satisfaction from it.

“I guess I’m just not a person who is obsessed with career advancement, and as long as I’m happy in the job, because I love benefiting people. We all have bad days, but on the whole it’s a great job.”

A private funeral service will be on Friday, August 13 as per Jane’s wishes.

There will be a celebration of life for all to attend.

Once details are confirmed that will be posted on the Ipswich Meals On Wheels Facebook page.

Read more stories by Lachlan McIvor here.

Originally published as Jane White tribute: Evan Hill and Susan Boyne on longtime Ipswich Meals on Wheels manager