GENAZZANO’S SUPERCENTENARIAN - VALE BETTY JAMISON

Amelia Tan | Events and Alumnae Relations Coordinator

Betty Jamison always held Genazzano in her heart. Beginning at the College in 1920 at the age of 10 as a boarder, she shared that one of her fondest memories was the church services, particularly the Easter period. Back then, Lent ended at midday on Saturday and boarders happily ate chocolate on Holy Saturday afternoon. Her time at Genazzano instilled the FCJ values in Betty for the rest of her life.

Betty’s time at the College was interrupted when her father’s family business collapsed in 1925 and the family moved to Sydney, cutting Betty’s time at Genazzano short. A few years after, Betty’s mother passed away unexpectedly in 1928, prompting Betty’s return to Melbourne to be cared for by her grandmother. As fate would have it that on her return to Melbourne, Betty met John Jamison at a bridge game party. Romance ensued and the pair were married in 1937.

During WWII, John went away to serve in the RAAF leaving Betty at home with two young children. She showed tremendous fidelity, courage and confidence during this period and demonstrated her resilience and perseverance raising the boys on her own - all qualities that her sons would later very much admire her for.

To Betty, the most important thing was family and her children. She didn’t treat family as a closed tribe but rather as an open community receiving everyone sincerely. She once welcomed two Jehovah’s Witnesses at the door and saying “we’re Catholic but do come in and have a cup of tea”. Her life was only ever about God, love and relationships. In 1952, the Jamison family embarked on their next adventure as John was given an appointment in England. They had never been to Europe but with the same courage and fidelity, Betty and John took their four boys (one of them just a baby) and emigrated by ship from Port Melbourne.

Betty had an unwavering faith and bounds of hospitality, something that could have been attributed to the kindness of the FCJ nuns that Betty experienced during her schooling. She would often say that when she had nothing better to do, she prayed. She had grown a strong devotion to Genazzano’s patron saint, Our Lady of Good Counsel. She was often heard saying a prayer she learnt at the College:

O Virgin Mother, Lady of Good Counsel, Sweetest picture artist ever drew, In all my doubts I fly to thee for guidance, O Mother, tell me what am I to do?

A life well lived, Betty never complained because every day was a blessing for which she was grateful and she never wasted energy by getting angry. She taught by example and more than by words; and even as the effects of old age took hold, she continued graciously without a complaint.

Betty passed away peacefully in her sleep at 110 years of age leaving behind a legacy of love that impacted the generations in her family.