A common sight in Quaama, until recently, was a big old blue Falcon doing the morning run from Fieldbucketts Rd along Bermaguee St to the store, apparently with no driver. But then you’d hear a friendly ‘bip’ as it passed – Joan spotting a friend. Joan Horne, the little lady with the big presence.
Joan was born in Bega and attended Bega Primary then Bega High, before completing business studies and working in a solicitor’s office. She joined the RAAF in 1944 and transferred to Airforce Headquarters in Melbourne, a time of friendship, excitement and achievement – she received her Corporal Stripes – before marrying Earl Horne in 1947 and moving to Quaama.
Joan and Earl worked hard to set up and run a dairy herd at Merrydale. They had four daughters – Jennifer, Margaret, Elizabeth and Debbie – and one son, Brett.
A keen cook, reader and writer, Joan was a great correspondent. But some of us will remember her most of all for her dry and self-effacing humour. With a few well-chosen words she could reduce an audience to tears of laughter, to all appearances having no idea herself what was so funny.
Joan was one of the founding members of the Quaama Morning Tea Ladies, who met, and continue to meet, on Wednesdays at 11am. So it was with some sweet sadness that the Quaama ladies joined the crowd at St Saviour’s at 11am on Wednesday 17th August 2011 to bid farewell – Joan’s last morning tea.
First published in The Triangle community newspaper, September 2011