Joy Goodridge remembered as Filipino community’s ‘bright light’
A kind, enthusiastic and hard-working community leader is being mourned after her death at 70.
This story was contributed by John Scarvelis, and is the author’s personal opinion.
Murray Bridge’s Filipino community is mourning the loss of a shining light following her death on October 30.
Joy Goodridge came to Australia as a migrant 46 years ago, and became an Australian citizen in Perth in 1982.
She came to work in Murray Bridge in 1990.
Her first employment in the Murraylands was as a pea-picker and milking cows, and this defined her character – she was not afraid of hard work.
She spent 17 years working at the Clipsal factory in Murray Bridge and Strathalbyn, and also in aged care at the Murraylands Retirement Village.
I remember her studying at TAFE to better her qualifications while coming to Murraylands Multicultural Network meetings.
The network was formed in 2006 in a partnership between the Australian Migrant Resource Centre and the Rotary Club of Murray Bridge after discussions between me, in my role as Rotary president-elect, and AMRC CEO Eugenia Tsoulis.
The network was launched at the 2006-07 Rotary Multicultural Festival.
Joy participated in the activities and performances contributed by the Filipino community, including dancing, singing and food preparation.
In 2015 she became chairperson of the Murraylands Multicultural Network and the organisation continued to flourish under her leadership.
Her enthusiasm encouraged growth of the organisation and support for new migrant families in the region.
She was always kind and supportive and made herself available to help.
The festival continued to grow with the Murray Bridge council, Australian Migrant Resource Centre and Rotary support at a variety of different sites in Murray Bridge.
Joy continued on the network’s management group after I assumed the position of chairman in 2018.
She felt happiest when she was able to help and support other migrants to settle in.
She contributed to the Murraylands Filipino-Australian Association, and was involved with the Filipino Settlement Council and the Filipino Communities Council of Australia, attending monthly meetings in Adelaide.
Joy was awarded the Irene Krastev Award in 2022 on International Women’s Day at the Adelaide Town Hall in recognition of her work.
She was a bright light to all those around her.
Her contributions have made Murray Bridge a better place.
May she rest in peace.
Her funeral will be next Thursday, November 19, at 11am at the Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Murray Bridge.
- More information: mingefunerals.com.au.
- Read more: Giving is a way of life for Irene Krastev Award recipient Maria Goodridge
