My Grandmother | Warren Hanna
Recently my Grandmother (Na) passed away after 91 wonderful years. The weekend following her passing, the family headed to Shepparton for a family service in my parents garden on Sunday and the formal funeral on Monday. This was a great opportunity for us 
all to get together and share our memories and celebrate her fantastic life.
My Na was an amazing women. She lost her father at an early age, but was fortunate enough to be taken under her wing by a generous spinster who shared her lover of music. When others were off playing with their friends, she would be practicing her passion. This passion lead to her winning numerous Regional and State singing competitions. In her eulogy, I found out that she was described in the Australian Musical News & Digest as “a remarkable talented young singer… this girl has to her credit three Junior Vocal Championships”.
In 1945 she married my Grandfather and begun a family. They lived in Rossana for 6 years before moving to Cobram to grow fruit as part of the soldier settlement program. Giving back to the community was a big priority for my Na and Grandpa. Amazingly with 6 children they were able to run an orchard, be involved with the Church, play regular sport, starting numerous singing groups and have the whole family be involved in stage productions.
In their later years they sold the orchard and moved to Shepparton. This is the time that I remember fondly. I remember Na’s involvement in the Shepparton Chapter of the Sign Australia Choir, a group of singers where involvement is more important than talent. I remember her constantly donating her singing services at peoples special events such as weddings and funerals. I was lucky enough to have her sing at mine. Her reputation around the Goulburn Valley was amazing. For me as a youngster playing golf or tennis with older playing partners, this was a great ice breaker. So many times I would be asked “are you related to Joan Hanna?” or “are you related to the Hanna’s that sing?” I would respond proudly that I was and this would lead to me being told that Na had sung at their wedding or at their parents wedding or another important family event.
Her contribution to the community was not just her voice. Despite being far from wealthy, she and Grandpa volunteered at the Miller homes (an accommodation services for elderly and/or financial disadvantaged people) and was also involved in the Meals on Wheels services in Shepparton.
Some of that community service was recognized in the Numurkah Rotary Vocational Service Award, The Australia Day Greater Shepparton Citizen of the Year Award, and the prestigious Order of Australia Medal (OAM).
Na was also very involved in sport and the local sporting community. This is a passion that I shared with her. Na was still playing tennis 3 times a week into her late 80’s, something that I still have great pleasure telling people, and when they struggled to believe me and I would go into the story of Na, due to her cataracts, seeing 3 balls coming over the tennis net, bouncing together, forming 1 and then being hit back over the other side of the net.
Another fond memory of mine was playing in a Shepparton District Tennis Final as a 15 year old, me in one division, Dad and Mum in another division and Na in a 3rd division. I can remember giving each other updates and encouragement through the wired fence as we played in our separate finals. During the celebration of her life I found great pleasure in locating a copy of the feature article that the Shepparton News wrote at the time about 3 generations of Hanna’s playing in finals.
Family was extremely important to Na & Grandpa. Throughout my junior sporting events I had essentially my own “fanatics” who brought their own fold up chair and thermos. Na would organise the crew made up of all 4 grandparents and travel around then Goulburn Valley to watch me play in my regional tennis finals. I remember Na going out of her way to introduce herself to my doubles partners on many occasions and even a couple of time embarrassing me quite innocently as she tried to play match maker with my female mixed partner.
Her love for her Grandchildren in particular was unconditional, I remember once again as a teenager thinking that it would be cool to shave and die my hair gold for a tennis final (my team was Shepp Gold). I remember an elderly lady was horrified and I remember her saying look what your grandson has done expecting Na to be just as shocked. I can still remember Na saying “if that’s what he wants to do then fine, in fact, I think it looks quite good.”
A number of these stories and more were told over the fantastic weekend we had as a family. I would encourage anyone who loses a loved one to try to organise a story telling time. Not only did this help me to grieve, but it also made me realise the positive effect on people’s lives that she has had.
The importance of family and also contributing to the community where some of Na traits that I’m proud to say she has passed on to me. I feel very fortunate that I’m in an occupation where I’m also able to make a difference to people’s lives and my promise to Na is that I will pass on this knowledge and experience on to my children, so that they too are able to enjoy to rewards associated with helping other people and their local community.