Joyce Barker nee Taylor

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Joyce Barker (nee Taylor) was born in Irlam, Lancashire, UK, in 1941, the older daughter of Alfred and Mary Jane Taylor (nee Sewell). Alfred worked in a Manchester steel mill and in 1952 the family migrated to Australia settling in Dandenong.

Joyce married Ian Barker in 1961 and in 1966 they moved to Foster, South Gippsland, to edit the "Foster Mirror". In 1967 another move to Mortlake to publish "The Mortlake Dispatch" and the "Hampden Football Record".

Contracting viral encephalitis in 1969 Joyce was to spend two years in hospital, five years nursed at home (see Hope Roberts), followed by 20 years in Trewint Nursing Home, Noble Park.

Undaunted by her quadriplegia Joyce became the unofficial deputy matron of Trewint assisting the nursing staff and raising thousands of dollars for the centre. She was awarded her 20-year service medal by Trewint in 1995.