It is with deepest sadness that I inform members of the passing of club stalwart and foundation member, Betty Chittick.
Betty was a member of the initial Board of Directors when the club was established in 1981, a position she held continuously for 25 years till her retirement in 2005. This included being President in 1984 and Honorary Secretary for the last 15 of those years. Betty continued to contribute to the club as a volunteer in the Golf Shop, as an office holder on the Ladies Committee as treasurer of the Ladies Committee for 25 years and in other capacities.
Raised on a Jamberoo dairy farm the much valued Life Member was awarded the Kiama Council Australia Day Citizen of the Year for 2010 and awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday honours list. Betty received these awards for her unstinting contribution to the Municipality and its people in a wide variety of voluntary and professional roles, including her services to Jamberoo Golf Club.
Some of Betty’s other achievements included:
- Assistant General Manager of the former Jamberoo Co-operative Dairy Society
- Life Member Jamberoo Women’s Hockey Club
- Life Member South Coast District Women’s Hockey Association
- Life Member Jamberoo Combined Sports Association
- Life Member Kiama Show Society
- Secretary and Treasurer for 27 years of Terragong Drainage Union
- Served for periods on the boards of the former Kiama District Hospital, Mt Warrigal Nursing and Blue Haven Home.
Not bad for a girl who as a 15 year old clerk used to help milk the cows in the morning before walking from Jerrara down to Mark’s corner to catch the bus to work.
Betty will be sadly missed by her many friends at the club.
I have no details of her funeral arrangements as yet but will immediately inform you as soon as they become available.
So sad to hear the news of Betty’s passing, I have great memories of her since I came to Jamberoo 30 plus years ago. She was such a lovely lady and will be missed by many people in and around Jamberoo.