General News
24 June, 2025
A century of strength, service and spirit: Joyce Dowsett turns 100
ON Tuesday 17 June, long-term Stawell resident Joyce Dowsett celebrated a truly extraordinary milestone — her 100th birthday.
Family, friends and the broader Stawell community are coming together this weekend to honour a woman whose life story is rich in resilience, generosity, and quiet strength.
This is the story of my mother, Joyce Dowsett.
Born on a wintry day in 1925 at the Sea Lake Hospital, Joyce Myrtle Mason entered a world that had only just begun to heal for her parents, Frederick and Dinah Grace Mason.
Just seven months earlier, they had endured the heartbreak of losing their baby boy, Jimmy, at only seven months old.
Joyce’s arrival would have brought hope, renewal and deep comfort to a grieving household.
Her name carries the warmth of family legacy — Myrtle in honour of her beloved Aunty Myrt, and Joyce, a popular and fitting name for a little girl born in the 1920s.
She was later joined by younger siblings Ronald John (Jack) in 1927 and Valma Grace in 1929.
At the time of mum’s birth, her father was working at Berriwillock, before relocating the young family to the outskirts of Minyip.
They lived in a modest four-roomed house, which left a strong impression on mum — she remembered every detail well into adulthood, right down to the wooden crate outside the door.
As a child, Joyce longed to attend school.
She would sit on the verandah watching local children play and dream of joining them. She cherished the days spent accompanying her father on his fruit rounds in a covered cart through the Minyip district, visiting country homes and enjoying morning tea and lunch on the road.
Tragedy struck when Joyce was only four and a half.
A piece of firewood rolled from the stove, catching her mother’s dress alight. Despite desperate efforts, her mother Grace passed away from her injuries. It was a traumatic moment that changed Joyce’s life forever.
Following this loss, Joyce and her brother Jack went to live with their maternal grandparents, Dinah and William Currie, in Joel Joel.
It was a household full of uncles and busy with farm life.
They had food, shelter, and the company of animals — but as Joyce has always recalled, it wasn’t the same as a mother’s embrace.
Her baby sister Valma was taken in by a kind neighbour, Mrs Saville, as per her mother’s wishes.
Joyce began school at Joel Joel State School at the age of six years and eight months.
Although she wasn’t legally required to attend, living over three miles away, her grandparents were determined she would go.
Her first day brought a crowd of unfamiliar children saluting the flag — a bewildering but memorable introduction to the world of education.
Getting to school involved a long walk and a horse-drawn buggy shared with the Hall children and Ray Potter.
Home-time meant walking alone unless her grandfather met her along the way. Her clothes were hand-me-downs, her boots were solid, and her hair was cropped short. But she loved learning — and it showed.
She dreamed of becoming a schoolteacher and was proud to be named dux of her school.
Unfortunately, finances meant further education was out of reach, but her love of learning never waned.
In her teenage years, Joyce secured a domestic position at the Stawell Hospital.
Already well-versed in hard work from the farm, she threw herself into her new role with enthusiasm, walking to work each day from her residence on Darlington Road and later living in a small flat at the hospital.
She loved the rhythm of life, the people, and the opportunities to be part of the community.
Mum also loved to dance — and it was at one of these dances that she met Perc Dowsett, spending the entire evening together.
It was wartime, but love found its place.
They married and soon after began their life together, first in Navarre and then in the home she still lives in today, at George Mitchell Square in Stawell — then surrounded by paddocks and open fields.
Their growing family was the heart of their world.
Starting with daughter Maree Joy in 1945, Joyce and Perc had eleven children: Maree, Kay, Dianne, Lorraine, Robyn, Janine, Jennifer, Lawrence, Shelley, Bryan and Neal.
Joyce raised her children with incredible dedication — gardening, preserving food, sewing clothes, and cooking hearty, wholesome meals.
As the children grew, Joyce found her place in the broader community.
She became a valued volunteer — always willing to help, take minutes, organise events, or simply lend a hand.
Her contributions with many organisations including U3A and the Stawell Historical Society, Laurel Club and Trotting Club were significant.
Widowed at 52, with her youngest children still at school, Joyce faced a new chapter with courage.
She never learned to drive but walked or caught the bus, managing her household and family with the same strength and resilience that had guided her from childhood.
Joyce has endured much — including the loss of her beloved children Dianne and Lawrence — but she continues to live with grace and positivity.
She’s known for her crocheted blankets, knitted toys, and legendary fruit cakes.
Into her seventies, she embraced scrapbooking, lovingly crafting albums for each of her children.
Now, at 100 years old, her memory remains sharp, even as her eyesight fades.
Whether she’s called Joyce, Joy, Joycie, Nan, Nanny Joy, or Nan Nan, the love and admiration for her runs deep.
On Tuesday evening, her family gathered to mark the day.
Last Sunday, a wider celebration at the Neighbourhood House in Sloane Street brought together those whose lives she has touched — with stories, smiles and tributes.
To live for a hundred years is rare; to do so with humour, wisdom, and unwavering spirit is remarkable.
Happy 100th birthday, Mum.
Your story is a cherished part of Stawell’s history — and of all our hearts.
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