MARGARET Matthews will be remembered for her dedication to the Country Fire Authority and her work within the Brimpaen community.
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Mrs Matthews died on December 6 after a battle with dementia. She was 83.
She was originally from Wilkur South, near Warracknabeal, and left Warracknabeal High School after completing year 11.
Daughter Nadine Miller said her mother worked as a law clerk at Brown and Proudfoot in Horsham well into her 70s.
Mrs Miller said her mother’s work with both the Grampians Group and the Brimpaen brigade was her greatest passion.
Mrs Matthews became a member of the Brimpaen Fire Brigade on May 1, 1984. She took up the role of secretary on July 1, 1984 and held the position until June 3, 1998.
She later took on the communications officer role in July 1998 and held that position for 20 years for the Grampians Group of fire brigades.
Mrs Matthews received a National Medal from the Country Fire Authority in 2011 and received a Long Service badge in 2006.
“She won a citizen of the year for the Horsham Rural City Council for her time with the CFA and every other committee she has ever been on,” Mrs Miller said.
“She was involved with the Brimpaen ladies social group for most of her married life and the Lions club.”
Her late husband, Donald Matthews, who died in 2010, was also a long-time Brimpaen Fire Brigade member – from 1950 to 2010.
Mrs Miller said a fire had burnt out her parents’ property twice during their time living at Brimpaen.
Mr and Mrs Matthews had three children – Brenda Streeter, 61, Robert Matthews, 60 and Nadine Miller, 54. They have nine grandchildren and nine grandchildren’s partners.
“She was fantastic, very open. She had older parents who didn’t tell her much of the worldly things. You could ask mum any question and she would give it to you straight,” she said.
“For an old person she was very open to anything … very liberal.”
Mrs Miller said her fondest memory of her mother was going on holidays to Portland each year for 18 years and always supporting the football at Laharum.
Country Fire Authority duty officer Dale Russell said Mrs Matthews was passionate about her family and her community.
He said he will read the firefighter ritual reading at Mrs Matthews’ funeral.
Mrs Matthews’ funeral is at the Brimpaen Hall on Thursday at 1.30pm with interment to follow at Brimpaen Cemetery.
