By NICOLE VALICEK
Battler Joyce a contender for national award
AS A MUM Joyce Evans was faced with tragic circumstances but stopped at nothing to provide for her family and keep them together.
The 86-year-old was nominated by daughter Pauline Rimmer as a contender for the Protect-A-Bed’s national search for Australia’s Own Supermum, and with good reason.
The Laverton local known in the community as ’Rockie’, immigrated to Australia from England with four children on 29 April 1959. Her husband Rowland had arrived a year earlier with one child.
Exactly one year to the day in 1960, they decided to celebrate their anniversary to Australia with a night out.
The couple was returning home along Epson Rd, Flemington when a truck hit their car – leaving them pinned inside.
Tragically, Rowland was killed and Joyce suffered severe injuries including a fractured skull and jaw and broken legs.
Sadly, she was also now a young widow with five children under 12 years – Chris, Norman, Colin, Patricia and Pauline.
Youngest daughter Pauline said that following the accident authorities would visit the house with intentions to take them away and place them in state care.
“Mum kept signing herself out of hospital or running away from the hospital and hitch-hiking home,” she said.
Joyce remembers getting a call from one of the children and leaving the hospital with both legs in a cast and stopping traffic to get home to check on their welfare.
“I nominated mum because she’s done so much for us and suffered such a lot, but she still has a very good sense of humour and we’ve all grown up well,” Pauline said.
“Our life would have been so totally different without mum. We would have been spilt up and fostered out.”
Mrs Evans raised her children without government assistance, finding a job at a local café, where she worked with both legs still in plaster.
“My brother use to come with his bike, she’d sit on the bars and get pushed home,” Pauline said.
Pauline said it was “a huge struggle but she still managed to smile and give us a happy childhood.”
Joyce said she was humbled for the nomination but insists she just did her best as a mother.
“I don’t think I’m that wonderful but I did the best I could.”
“The children were marvellous.”
This Laverton supermum is also a supernan with 13 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren with another baby on the way.
