The loss of Ivor Jones will leave a huge void for his family, friends and his many volunteering colleagues.
We at the Hills to Hawkesbury Community News were devastated when his beloved wife Maree told us about Ivor collapsing at home and his subsequent death on Wednesday, July 23rd a few days later.
Despite not feeling well, Ivor had written his fortnightly column which Maree had sent to us which was published in our edition of July 25th.
It was Ivor’s last column of many hundreds of immensely popular columns he had written over 40 years about people and places in the Hills and Hawkesbury and it was quite typical of Ivor’s professionalism that it was completed on time, in fact in advance.
Ivor loved history and he loved writing and we were lucky to enjoy his twin passions for so many decades. As well as writing for the Hills to Hawkesbury Community News ((formerly the Hills TV Magazine), Ivor was a member of the Hills District Historical Society for over 30 years and took over editing the Historical Society’s when Mac McCoullogh decided to retire.
Ivor’s articles appeared in all the community press including Farm & Garden (rebranded the Hills Shire Times) and the Hills News. He was very saddened to see them go.
Ivor and Maree moved to Baulkham Hills in 1984.
Ivor was born in Bristol and migrated to Australia with his parents when he was 11 years old. The family lived in Cabramatta.
Ivor was a Federal Returning Officer and involved in conducting elections since 1971.
In his first article as editor of the Hills District Historical Society Newsletter he wrote about being the Returning office for Werriwa, when local MP Gough Whitlam lost the Prime Ministership.
He wrote: “I was also the Returning Officer for Werriwa when Gough Whitlam decided to retire from active politics. I recall he discussed his planned retirement with me before announcing it in Parliament. This enabled me to advise him of the most suitable time for a by-election, as far as I was concerned.”
Ivor was involved in community radio (Cumberland Community Radio now Alive 90.5) where he was chairman for a while, Sydney Hills Tourism and Neighbourhood Watch at Baulkham Hills. He was also a volunteer with Friends of Bella Vista Farm and on the executive of Probus locally and the local Friendship Group where he would organise speakers and trips.
He leaves behind his wife of 40 years, Maree, daughters Nicole and Melissa and grandchildren, Cory, Chloe and Aiden.
Ivor also leaves behind a legion of fans who loved reading his columns and seeing the wonderful old photos he sourced.
Ivor was farewelled at Castlebrook Memorial Park at Rouse on Friday, August 1st… near the site of where the Castle Hill Rebellion (also known as the Vinegar Hill Uprising) was nipped in the bud by soldiers on March 5th 1804…a story he liked to share..
