Jill is well organised and an excellent cook — the Toohey family and guests at the table always ate particularly well with her in the kitchen.
It is no small surprise that the couple’s son Bernard, at the age of 17, was signed to play AFL football with Geelong.
He had an illustrious career with the club over many years and later joined the Sydney Swans and Footscray.
Daughter Liz was a top netballer in Shepparton and continues to play tennis today.
Another son, Gerard, played AFL football in Adelaide, where he lives, and has the claim to fame of taking Bernard’s place in the Geelong side on one occasion.
Today, their other son, Stephen, operates his own plumbing business in Geelong.
And daughter Helen, who played netball and tennis, also lives in Geelong, working for the Surf Coast Council.
Proud of all her children, Jill kept scrapbooks of all their achievements, which she still has today.
As the children grew older, Jill had more time for tennis and golf, finding success in both sports.
Jill began golf in 1955, but had a 22-year hiatus from the sport while she concentrated on her family.
Returning to play at Cobram-Barooga, she was a member of seven winning pennant teams.
She scored a hole-in-one on the 12th hole of the old course in 2000.
“Nobody saw where the shot went,” she said.
“I looked in the bunker and at the rear of the hole before looking in the hole, and there it was.”
After much success playing tennis and golf, Jill turned to lawn bowls at Barooga Sports Club.
She quickly became a champion with many awards to her name, including ladies singles champion on two occasions and three mixed pairs championships with Vin.
Both Jill and Vin played a major role in getting the greens and facilities up to scratch.
Not content to just play, Jill became heavily involved in most committee groups.
Success seemed to come naturally if your surname was Toohey, and Jill, Vin and the team took out the 2016 Friday Pennant Division championship.
Jill was also president for many years.
Recognised broadly for her contributions to the township of Barooga, Jill has been the proud recipient of a number of life memberships over the years:
- Barooga Football Club — A member of the ladies’ committee from 17, where she was involved in many aspects over a period of 50 years.
- Barooga Cricket Club — Awarded for being the club’s first female president, working in the canteen, catering and providing a taxi service for young players each Saturday morning.
- Barooga Netball Club — For more than three decades Jill could be found in the club canteen. Jill served as president in 1978 and 1980 and was on the inaugural committee of the Barooga Basketball/Netball Club on April 24, 1960.
- Barooga Sports Indoor Bowls Club — She was president from 2001 until 2015 when the competition disbanded.
- Barooga Sports Club awarded Jill a special life membership, usually reserved for board members only and previously never awarded to a woman. It was in recognition for the work she had done for indoor bowls and highlighted her services to multiple sports associated with the organisation and the depth she went to in standing before a judge to prove why the club was needed for the community of Barooga.
Jill played a major role in developing sporting facilities in Barooga.
She was passionate about providing facilities for sport-loving locals, especially the children.
She has a strong passion for the town and its people, who remain in her heart today.
A skilled entertainer, she loved a party and effortlessly produces delicious meals for the multitudes.
Generous to a fault, Jill has been one in a million who would gladly give rather than receive.
However, it was as a supportive wife to husband Vin, who sadly passed away in 2020, and mum to her five children that she gave everything she had.
They would not miss out by living 20km out of town, she would see to that.
And she did.
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