Last Friday I and a number of QCEC staff attended the funeral of Aunty Joan Hendriks at Star of the Sea Church, Cleveland.

It was a wonderful celebration of Aunty Joan’s life and her many and varied contributions to her family and community.

The large crowd in attendance was testament to the wonderful love, energy and talents she brought to her family, friends, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, the education community and the Church to name just a few.

Aunty Joan will be sadly missed, and we will look to recognise her in a special way during this year’s Catholic Education Week when we present the Aunty Joan Hendriks Reconciliation Award.