Lady Mayoress was a community-minded 'Tamworth girl'

Mrs McKellar died peacefully on October 26, 2023, aged 96, at the Royal Freemasons' Benevolent Institution Nursing Home at Moonbi House.

Her death brings to an end one of the long-term farming families of King George Avenue.

A nurse and avid traveller prior to marrying former Tamworth mayor Norman Lang 'Mac' McKellar in 1969, Mrs McKellar and her husband focused their efforts on the betterment of the City of Tamworth.

Mrs McKellar was born near Singleton but moved to Tamworth with her family when she was five years old.

Her step daughter, Jan Brady, said Mrs McKellar called herself "a Tamworth girl" and the town and its community became her life.

Following high school, the then Miss Peters started her nursing career with training at the Tamworth Base Hospital. In 1948, aged 21, and like many of her era, she left Tamworth to continue her training - first to Sydney at Prince Alfred Hospital, and then on to complete her training as a midwife at King George Hospital in London.

During her training years, Miss Peters caught the travel bug and used her time in Europe to her advantage.

In 1956 she returned to Tamworth where she continued to work and live for the rest of her life.

Mrs McKellar moved up the ranks within the hospital to eventually become deputy matron, however, her heart always remained in the wards. She found herself on the planning committee for the new Bruderlin Wing, which was out of her comfort zone but an opportunity to share what she had seen developing overseas.

An advocate for improved working and living conditions for the general nursing staff she was instrumental in developing the second nurses' residence.

Norman McKellar was Tamworth mayor for a decade, during which time Mrs McKellar was known as Lady Mayoress and became deeply involved in many of the charities and charitable institutions within the city.

Amongst many activities, she helped establish Meals on Wheels, Lifeline, the Spastic Council as well as rescuing Calala Cottage and preserving it for the future.

Mrs McKellar was also an active member of St Andrews Presbyterian Church and, when the Boys Hostel was sold in 1974, she was on the committee that decided to use the money to build the St Andrews Retirement Village, which has grown into a significant facility in Tamworth.

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In 1981 Mrs McKellar was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her contribution to nursing and the community. Mr McKellar had been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1977 for services to local government and the community, and together, they became the first couple in North West NSW to be acknowledged in this way.

Along the way Mrs McKellar also met the then Queen Elizabeth II.

Mrs McKellar was a keen golfer and played well enough to represent Tamworth and North West NSW in various state competitions. Later in life she turned to playing Bridge but often remarked she could not keep partners because she was not very good at it.

Mrs McKellar continued to travel when she could, initially with her husband representing Tamworth during trips to Tamworth, England, and Dekalb, Illinois, sister city to Tamworth NSW, but later, on her own.

Solo trips included completing the Trans-Siberian railway journey and spending 12 days in Uzbekistan, during which she celebrated her birthday in the capital of Tashkent.

Mrs McKellar also journeyed through Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos.

After COVID struck, Mrs McKellar moved into Moonbi House.

Mrs McKellar is survived by a step-daughter and her children and grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, and their children and grandchildren.

The McKellar family is planning a celebration of Hazel's life in February 2024.

Please email janbrady@simonplace.net for further information.

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