An Incredible Life — Carmel Joan O’Dwyer, part two

Joan worked at Dame Zara’s very successful fashion and clothing shop Magg when it opened in Toorak in 1949 and continued working there when it moved to Melbourne’s Myer Emporium.

It was around this time her parents wanted to move to Melbourne for medical reasons, so Joan purchased a home in Moonee Ponds on their behalf in 1950 and began living with them.

She was very fond of her friends, including Eileen (Smith) O’Hanlon from Nagambie, who she lived with at the St Anne’s boarding house and was friends with for more than 75 years.

“If you became her friend, you stayed friends. She was always there emotionally for them,” Joan’s daughter Cathie Fletcher said.

Joan was very fond of going to social dances and it was at one of these dances she met Kevin John Moran from West Brunswick, who she married in late January of 1955.

He had previously made furniture and cabinetry for planes at Essendon airport, but eventually joined Joan in a teaching career.

“With mum’s encouragement he ended up doing a course to be a teacher ... he got a job teaching woodwork at Strathmore High School, everybody loved him,” Cathie said.

After a few years of marriage she adopted her first child from an orphanage in Broadmeadows, with a plan to adopt strictly two boys and two girls.

Cathie said they were settled with four children when the call came from the orphanage that there was a little boy left over Christmas with nowhere to stay.

“We took him over Christmas and with all the interaction and we loved him so much, we just couldn’t give him up,” she said.

That was how Joan wound up with five children; Peter born in 1958 (now deceased), Brian born in 1960 (deceased), Cathie born in 1962, Bernie born in 1964 and finally Rod, born in 1966.

Joan and Kevin were determined that their children never felt different because of their origins, or that they’d missed out on anything.

In classic Aussie fashion, everyone was encouraged to “give it a go”; playing footy (cheering for Carlton, of course), ballet and tennis, charity work if someone was in need, church balls, progressive dinners.

“I guess she raised us by her actions ... the old adage ‘do unto others as you would want it done unto you’,“ Cathie said.

She even handmade and tailored all of her children’s clothes for them, sewing for hours once she was home from teaching and dinner was cooked.

Cathie said she had many fond memories of trips to beaches in the family caravan and to cousins’ farms around the state; but the family’s kindness didn’t stop there.

“My Dad would bring home the guys who didn’t have great relationships to our house and we’d play pool on a Friday night, then take them back home,” she said.

Joan even opened her home to various relatives and strangers when they needed a bit of help.

Cathie recalled the classic family traditions Joan built around her warm and family centred home; Sunday roasts with an elderly relative, Christmas cricket matches, footy down the side streets, a revolving door of visitors with friends and relatives alike always in the house.

“She took pride in her home, her home was her castle.”

It was around this time she got her teaching qualifications, which proved helpful in supporting her large family.

Joan began a career in education, starting with teaching dressmaking at night school at Glenroy Technical College.

“It was at that school one of the ladies, who was a mature student and a teacher herself, she said I think you’ll be great at my school,” Cathie said.

So Joan began teaching at Sancta Sophia college, now known as Penola in Glenroy.

She worked at Sancta Sophia for a number of years until she made the decision to leave to help out her family a little bit more.

But it wasn’t like Joan to just stop there, so she continued her involvement in charity and volunteering, including making children’s garments for fundraising efforts for her church.

Her passion for dressmaking and fashion continues to this day; Cathie said Joan noticed good clothes and fashion immediately.

One trip to the National Gallery of Victoria where some of Bate’s iconic dresses are held was particularly enjoyable for Joan; she recalled working on some pieces.

Her later life is not without scares and falls, but she has beaten cancer three times.

“COVID knocked Mum around, it’s only the last three years she went into the nursing home,” Cathie said.

“Mum was in palliative, it was supposed to be the end but Mum defied the odds, she bounced back. Even the doctors were surprised.

“She’s relied on her faith, she’s very devout ... she’s attributed it (her age) to her faith.

“In summary of who Mum is I’d describe her in the following way. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, show up, and never give up,” Cathie said.

“This is what she taught by example.”

Joan turns 100 years old on April 8, 2022.

The Courier wishes her a very happy birthday in advance.