Pittwater Life February 2023 Issue

emembered
and down and a house,
designed by architect Bruce
Rickard, was built on the site.
“We used to have countless
barbecues and all gather with
the children and dogs on the
beautiful beach, and in summer
dive off the neighbours’
jetty and swim ashore,” Barbie
recounted.
“She loved her friends. They
were very important to her. A
group of about 12 of us always
celebrated her birthday on 11
January, and we’d go over to
her place and all take food.”
“David and I live a couple of
doors up from Jennie’s place
and she used to come to us
once a week for a roast, and
she’d bring hibiscus from the
bush in her garden, so if Jennie
was coming I always knew I
would have fresh flowers.”
In her 70s Jennie was
diagnosed with cancer, and
through her treatment she became
interested in health and
medical research.
She was excited by the work
at the Charles Perkins Centre,
with its vision for change and
multi-disciplinary approach to
research.
“In her typically dynamic
and generous way, Jennie
went on to be involved as a
volunteer, mentor, donor and
ultimately dear friend,” said
Professor Stephen Simpson,
Academic Director of the
Charles Perkins Centre.
Among others, she supported
postdoctoral researchers:
Dr Rosilene Ribeiro, researching
ways of using nutrition to
improve health and wellbeing
of older individuals; and Associate
Professor Melkam Kebede,
looking at pancreatic islet cells
and the relationship between
obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Both expressed their immense
gratitude for her support.
“Jennie was more like an
advocate than anything else,”
Associate Professor Kebede
said.
“She cared so much about
what I do and my professional
and personal growth. I miss
her lovely kindness, positivity
and huge sense of fun.”
In 2014, Jennie was appointed
to the Vice-Chancellor’s
Campaign Board, a group comprising
of the University’s most
visionary philanthropic supporters,
and she was awarded
the title of Honorary Fellow of
the University in 2018.
“She never complained when
she was ill. Her friends were
very supportive of her, but she
was very strong. She always
looked on the bright side of
things,” said Barbie.
At the celebration of her life
on 15 November 2022, it was
announced in addition to a
previous donation of $900,000
that she had left $20 million to
the Charles Perkins Centre.
“How wonderful to be able
to leave that, and help change
so many people’s lives,” said
Barbie. – Rosamund Burton
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2023 13