Page 28 - Luce 2016

Obituaries

Dame Leonie Kramer AC DBE (Gibson1942) Dr Olive Mence OAM (Wykes 1939)
1 October 1924 – 20 April 2016 16 September 1921 – 31 October 2016

A past student and Fellow of JCH, A past student and Fellow of Janet
Dame Leonie Kramer graduated Clarke Hall, Olive’s close association
from Melbourne University and then with JCH continued throughout her life.
continued on to Oxford where she Graduating from PLC in Melbourne as
was a post-graduate student and tutor. College Dux in 1938, she arrived at JCH
Her early years as an academic were in 1939. She was tutor at the College
built around her passion for Australian (1950-65), a member of Council from
literature, with her books and fearless 1967, and Council Chair from 1974
intellectual rigour stimulating vigorous until her retirement from Melbourne
debate in the arts community. University in 1983. She was also an
active member of the JCH Society and attended College events
In 1952 she married Harold Kramer, a South African doctor, regularly until recent years.
and had two daughters. They came to Australia to avoid South
Africa under apartheid. Olive was a gifted educator and founding member of
International House which she fought to establish by
A powerful champion of effective education, Dame Leonie strenuously campaigning and fundraising with women’s
went on to become Australia’s most celebrated female groups.
academic. Appointed as Professor of Australian Literature
at the University of Sydney in 1968, she was the first female She was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2000.
professor in Australia, retiring 21 years later from that post to The award recognised her outstanding service to education –
become the University’s Deputy Chancellor. In 1991 she was particularly as a teacher of French, through secondary teacher
appointed Chancellor and remained in that role for a decade. training at the University of Melbourne, and in fostering
Editor of the Oxford History of Australian Literature, she educational opportunities for girls and women at secondary
was the first woman to chair the Australian Broadcasting and tertiary level.
Commission (1982-83) and served the community with
distinction on a wide range of boards and committees with The College Council gratefully acknowledges Dr Mence’s
emphasis on education and the arts. generous bequest to Janet Clarke Hall for the purpose of
providing scholarships, bursaries or prizes.
Her life and outstanding achievements were honoured on 27
June 2016 with a State Memorial Service held at the Sydney
Conservatorium of Music.
Joan (Jill) Loton (Kemelfield 1948)
20 October 1929 – 26 November 2016
Jennifer Taplin (1948)
21 April 1929 – 21 October 2016 Jill was educated at Merton Hall and
had a long and close association with
Janet Clarke Hall – first as a resident
Jenny is notable among those student when she was studying for an
pioneering women in Science of Arts degree at Melbourne University
whom the College is rightly proud. and later, and significantly, as a
She enjoyed a long and successful member of Council (1991–1997).
career as a microbiologist in the Public
Health Laboratory at the University of In 1992 Jill was the Convenor (with
Melbourne.
Council Chair, Fiona Caro) of the
Friends of Janet Clarke Hall. This group was founded to
At her funeral which was attended by raise critical funds needed for essential building works that
many of her JCH friends, her cousin would enable the College to comply with new fire safety
Malcolm Chestney, delivered a moving eulogy which paid regulations. The tireless fundraising efforts carried out by Jill
tribute to her outstanding dedication to her work and to her and the Friends over a decade saved the College from possible
indomitable spirit and optimistic disposition.
closure.
Jenny was a regular attendee at Janet Clarke Hall Society Often accompanied by her husband Brian, Jill was a
functions well into the latter part of her life; her friends will regular attendee at College functions over many years. The
fondly remember Jenny referring to herself and fellow female proud mother of four children, she delighted in her twelve
bacteriologists as ‘the Ladybugs’.
grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Jill was a long-term member of both the Alexandra Club
and the Lyceum Club where she enjoyed the company of
her many friends and was able to pursue her wide range
of interests. She was also an active supporter of many
organisations – cultural, educational and scientific.

28 LUCE Number 15 2016