Long-time resident dies

A funeral was held for Margaret Jaquet of Woy Woy on June 10 at Point Clare Cemetery where Reverend Jamie Newans and grandson-in-law Reverend Paul Seiler conducted the service.

Margaret Isabel Jaquet, affectionately known as Belle was born in Condobolin NSW on February 3, 1906, to James William and Margaret Shakespeare (nee Bailey).

When Belle was two years old her mother passed away in childbirth and Belle was raised by her sister Edie who was 13 years old at the time.

Belle had three brothers - Claude, Norman, and Jack - as well as her sister Edie.

Her father remarried Susanah Hay and the family moved to Patonga, when she was 10 years old.

Her stepmother had nine children, whose names were Mitchell, Billy, Anne, Bessie, Jean, Alma, Joyce, Keith and Maisie.

Belle assisted in bringing up her stepbrothers and sisters.

Belle's sister Edie started the first school in Patonga which Belle attended.

She left school when she was 14 years old to help with the family and remained in the family home until 1926, when at the age of 20 she married Walter Percy Jacquet, who was a local poultry farmer.

They lived on a poultry farm near Veron Rd for a few years, and then later moved to Hillview farm where they took up dairy farming.

Walter had the local milk run and delivered his milk with a horse and cart.

Walter and Belle had two daughters - June (Dillon) and Dawn (Morris).

Belle's husband passed away in 1971 due to a heart attack and most of the farm was sold to the Housing Commission and LendLease.

Belle kept a small portion on which she lived till she was 95 years of age.

The last two and a half years of her life were spent in a nursing home in Sydney, where her daughter, Dawn, visited and fed her each day.

Belle had a very strong faith in God throughout her life and a long association with Woy Woy Presbyterian Church.

Her Christian commitment demonstrated itself in the many years which she ran a Sunday School at South Woy Woy Progress Hall.

She will be sadly missed by all her family, her daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren and friends.

Eulogy, June 10