The past few months have seen the passing of three U3A members who played an important part in the life of U3A for over a decade and for whom U3A was a much-loved part of life.
A member of U3A Benalla from 2007 to 2022, Brian Howard was for many years John Lloyd’s backup convenor for the Sustainability group, convening the group and providing interesting material for discussion when John was travelling or had other commitments. A retired engineer and accomplished tool maker, Brian was also a member of the Tech Talks group. Brian presented models he had built to demonstrate the principles of solar thermal power to both groups, boiling a kettle of water in the process.
A member of U3A Benalla from 2007 to 2022, Brian Howard was for many years John Lloyd’s backup convenor for the Sustainability group, convening the group and providing interesting material for discussion when John was travelling or had other commitments. A retired engineer and accomplished tool maker, Brian was also a member of the Tech Talks group. Brian presented models he had built to demonstrate the principles of solar thermal power to both groups, boiling a kettle of water in the process.
Brian with his Solar Thermal Electricity Generation Models - Sustainability 2017
Brian’s story ‘My Other Life’, a favourite in our ‘As Time Goes By’ collection, relates to his passion for working with wood.
Particularly well known in Benalla as a former Principal of Benalla High School, an involvement written extensively about elsewhere, Keith Rogers was a member of U3A Benalla from 2013 to 2023. A lover of fine wines and the theatre arts, Keith was for many years a co-convenor of U3A Benalla’s Wine Appreciation group with his wife Heather and Noel Meagher. When the Play Reading group commenced in 2016, Keith, a local thespian, was asked whether he would like to be involved. Keith became the group’s ‘creative director’, selecting plays and encouraging class members until he became unwell.
Keith (on right) pictured at Wine Appreciation in May 2022.
(Click on photograph to go to a memorial slide show on the Wine Appreciation Page)
(Click on photograph to go to a memorial slide show on the Wine Appreciation Page)
Stella Wharton passed away at Cooinda on Monday 29 January. An active member of U3A Benalla from 2012 to 2023, her son Ian said that Stella had enjoyed her time with U3A and asked us to inform our members of her passing. Memories of Stella include her letting us know that her family would like to donate a collection of recorders of different sizes and tones to our new Recorder group in 2018, a gift described as ‘truly wonderful’ by convenor Janet Douglas. In 2019 Stella shared news of a program run by U3A Melbourne, ‘Revise Your Shorthand as you Train Your Brain’. It's still on our list of suggested courses if the interest is there. Finally, a favourite memory of Stella relates to her electric vehicle, her zippy red scooter!
