Page 41 - Luce 2021

Obituaries

Helen Louise Scheller (Blair 1966) Railway. She lived in Earl’s Court in the Susan Louise Woods (Horne 1953)
23 March 1946 – 15 May 2021 approved way and vastly enjoyed the 20 August 1934 – 4 June 2021
opportunities for theatre, concerts and
museums, at the time very affordable.
Helen had a She worked part-time for the publishers Sue graduated
peripatetic Bailliere Tindall and camped (before it in Physical
childhood – became backpacking) through France, Education at
her father was Italy and Croatia. Melbourne
with the ANZ University in
Bank – and Upon returning home, Helen moved 1955 where she
they lived in from teaching to librarianship working at was awarded
a number of Sunshine and Port Melbourne Libraries a Half Blue in
small towns as a children’s librarian. 1954 and a
across Victoria Full Blue in
and New South Wales. I believe the We were married in 1984 and visited athletics, sprints and hurdles in 1955.
themes of travel and journeying may be the US to meet my father and the
the best way to approach Helen’s life. neighbours, affording Helen the After graduation, Sue taught at Clyde
opportunity to spin wonderful tales School, Woodend and at PLC in East
Helen’s education was necessarily of deadly animals to the farm wives Melbourne and Burwood, until her
fragmented and included a year of of western Kansas. Over the years marriage in 1961 to John Woods. They
correspondence school when she was we returned to the US four times and resided in Bacchus Marsh throughout
in the Royal Children’s Hospital at Mt. travelled to England (three times), Wales, the 1960s where their three daughters,
Eliza recovering from major back surgery Ireland, Scotland, Finland, Jamaica, Deb, Sally and Anna were born.
in 1959. Some stability came when she Italy, Spain, Japan (twice), and Vietnam.
enrolled in the then new Strathmore Our last excursion was a cruise to New During this time, Sue became very
High School where she discovered her Zealand in 2016. involved in community affairs and
love of the French language. was instrumental in the following: in
Helen soon decided to work part- 1963, the establishment of the Nursing
Janet Clarke Hall welcomed Helen in her time and found more opportunities in Mothers’ Association, now known as
second year at Melbourne University. teaching English as a second language the Australian Breastfeeding Association;
Her year on hospital rations which she to adults. She enjoyed academic study the establishment of the Bacchus
felt were drawn from ‘standard mince again, especially writing essays on a Marsh Historical Society which saved
recipes for 50’ made her particularly PC rather than a typewriter. She had buildings and sites of significance and
pleased with the food at JCH, even if most fulfilling sessions with migrants at encouraged environmental awareness;
tempered somewhat by the terror of Elwood Neighbourhood House and Port the retention of the now heritage listed
being invited to dine at High Table from Melbourne Living and Learning Centre. Avenue of Honour when the elm trees
time to time. were threatened by plans to widen the
We moved to Macleay Island, highway through the town. Sue was
Helen’s first and perhaps most Queensland (between Brisbane and also involved in the establishment of the
memorable overseas journey was in the Gold Coast) in 1995. Helen soon annual Bacchus Marsh Art Show, which
1968 when she was part of the National discovered U3A and conducted French was later taken over by Rotary.
Union of Australian University Students’ classes on the island and the mainland;
trip to China during the Cultural she also started a book discussion group, In the mid-1970s Sue and John moved to
Revolution, where they became aware joined a writers’ group on Macleay and Gisborne, Victoria where Sue managed
of the reality of totalitarian command tutored some of the island’s migrant John’s medical practice and continued
and control. wives in English. her interests in gardening, spinning,
tapestry weaving, art and tennis.
Looking at Helen’s qualifications gives After Helen survived ovarian cancer in
a map of her professional journey: BA 2005, we decided to return to Victoria Sue was a foundation member of the
(Melb.), Trained Secondary Teachers and settled in Benalla. Helen continued Steering Committee of Braemar College,
Certificate (Melb.), Grad. Dip. Lib. her involvement with U3A, leading Woodend, a co-ed secondary school
(RMIT), Grad. Cert. TESOL (Teaching classes in French, Egyptian history, which opened in 1978. This new school
English to Speakers of Other Languages, Modern Chinese history and leading the occupied the campus left vacant in 1977
ACU). After completing her teacher book group for seven years until it went when Clyde closed.
training Helen was posted to Beaufort into hibernation for COVID. Helen also
and later transferred to Yarrawonga discovered the joys (and frustrations) Sue and John retired to Point Lonsdale,
where she taught French and English. of writing letters to the editors of The Victoria in 2005.
During this time she travelled to Age and The Australian. Her signature,
Indonesia, Hong Kong, Japan (twice) and ‘Helen Scheller, Benalla’ appeared in John Woods
Cambodia. The Age for the last time on 12 May
2021, three days before her death.
In 1975 the siren call of London could
not be resisted and Helen travelled Steven Scheller
to Britain via the Trans-Siberian

J anet Clarke Hall 41