Our community is proudly celebrating the 100th birthday of Nancy Irene Horne (Nan), one of our most remarkable and beloved community leaders.
This milestone gives us a chance to reflect on Nan’s kindness, leadership and decades of service that have shaped the Hornsby area into the strong and welcoming community we know today.
Nan moved to Cherrybrook in 1962, when the area was still semi-rural, with dirt roads, orchards and open paddocks.
From her earliest days here, she committed herself to supporting local families and helping build a community where everyone felt included.
In 1987, recognising the need for greater early learning opportunities, Nan helped establish the Cherrybrook Community Pre-School. Later that year, she was elected to Hornsby Shire Council, beginning 21 years of dedicated service.
Nan made history as the first woman to lead Hornsby Shire Council, serving as President before the title became Mayor. She remains the only woman to have held that office.
Nan led with humility, strength and an unwavering commitment to community values.
To celebrate her 100th birthday and express our gratitude, I visited Nan with Hornsby Shire Mayor Warren Waddell, and we also had the pleasure of meeting Nan’s daughter, Dianne Donald.
Nan carries a strong local story through her husband’s family connection to Samuel Henry Horne, the ex-convict turned hero policeman after whom Hornsby is named.
Happy 100th birthday, Nan, and thank you for your extraordinary contribution to our community.
