Bernard Thomas Janes

Born 26 September 1929, Entered eternal life 10 February 2024

Eulogy given by Bernard’s children Terry and Patrick
at Bernard’s funeral held at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church on Tuesday, 20 February 2024.

Bernard Thomas Janes was born in East Malvern to Tom and Monica. He was the first of four sons to Tom and Mon, the others who followed being Peter (dec), Michael and Tony (dec.)

Tom worked in the bank and soon after Bernie’s birth, the young family embarked on a life within the bank, moving around a number of locations in Northern and Northwestern Victoria, including Dimboola, Rainbow, Echuca, Ultima, Swan Hill.

Bernie attended different schools throughout this part of the State, including Swan Hill High School and St Patrick’s College Ballarat, where he was a boarder. Bernie, it appears was a good student, with character references describing him as “a boy of excellent character, upright, intelligent, courteous and most exemplary in the discharge of religious duties.” Rupert Crocker, the headmaster of Swan Hill High School in 1946, described Bernie as: “a pleasing personality and thoroughly dependable.” (We must admit, we did find another Reference that we could not read, old, faded handwriting – perhaps this was the one with the not so good comments in it). Upon completing his School Leaving Certificate in 1946, Bernie undertook a Wool Classing Certificate at the Ballarat School of Mines and worked at this for a short time. However, he did not stick with this choice of career and at age 17 followed his father into the bank, joining the Swan Hill State Savings Bank of Victoria in 1946. 

Dad was a keen sportsman, he played footy and cricket for Ultima and (according to him) he apparently was pretty good!! Don’t think there is anyone still with us who could vouch for that – maybe Uncle Michael could?

He was always a big footy fan and followed in his own father’s footsteps by barracking for the mighty DEMONS! Yes, it is his fault that only 6 of his 7 children are tragic Melbourne supporters. He failed to brainwash one of his daughters, but the rest of us put up with that.

Whilst working in Swan Hill, Dad met the love of his life, our Mum Marie who had grown up on her parents farm out between Swan Hill and Ultima. They were married in September 1952 the day after Dad turned 23.

They had a very loving and productive marriage for over 63 years. They had seven children who are all happily married themselves. There are currently 12 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren, who all loved and respected their fun-loving grandad.

Not long after getting married Dad was transferred by the bank to Melbourne and initially lived with Mum’s cousin Joe O’Brien at Preston for a short time, then moved to bank owned premises in Moreland, and Carlton before buying their own first home in the new housing commission estate at Jacana in Broadmeadows. 

The first six of the children lived at Jacana for several years until 1967 when Dad received a big promotion and was appointed as the first manager of the State Bank’s new branch at Anglesea. This started a long and cherished connection for Dad and Mum at Anglesea for the next 40 years. 

Whilst in Anglesea Dad became well known in the town and was a keen supporter of the local footy team and a strong parishioner at the local Church.

Not long after moving to Anglesea their seventh child, Patrick was born. The other six children were all of school age and for various reasons attended six different schools spread between Bendigo, Geelong, Melbourne, Portsea and Anglesea. We all look back on those days with amazement as to how Mum and Dad managed all that busy life, but it reinforces to us what wonderful parents and role models they both were.

After just over three years at Anglesea the family were on the move again as Dad was transferred back to Melbourne and over the next 16 years or so lived in a number of bank owned premises including Auburn, Ashburton, East Kew, and Hughesdale. Dad’s final appointment in the bank was to the State Bank Branch at Melbourne University. Bernie never had a tertiary education but took great pleasure in bragging to us all that he was now at university!

During these years, as well as working full time as a State Bank Manager, Dad worked a couple of other part time/afterhours jobs in order to have enough money to feed and support his family. Mum and Dad never had much money, but they made sure that their children never went without what was necessary for their schooling and growing up.

In the late 1970’s they built a house at Fourth Avenue, Anglesea. This was a lovely place for them to go for weekends and getaways. Many Christmas’ and summer holidays were spent at Fourth Avenue with Dad and Mum’s growing family of daughter/son in laws and grandchildren joining them over these times. Tragically that house was burnt down in the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires. Thankfully, none of us were there on that sad day.

A short time later, still in Anglesea, Dad and Mum built a home in Arinya Crescent and in 1986 Dad, having fully retired from the bank, and as soon as Pat had completed his HSC, they moved back to live permanently at Anglesea. They immersed themselves in the Anglesea community activities such as helping out at the local OP shop, delivering Meals on Wheels to older residents in the town and weekly cleaning of the Church and its grounds.

Since retirement, Dad had become a keen golfer at the Anglesea Golf Club and played nine holes of golf weekly. Dad was the ‘young’ bloke of the group he played with. Pat had the pleasure of joining Dad’s golf group on several occasions and remembers the first time he did this. The golf was finished in about an hour and a half and Pat made a comment about heading home. Dad’s reply, but perhaps not the exact words were: “don’t be silly, Mum thinks it takes at least another hour to play golf. Let’s go to the bar!!”

During the 1980’s, 1990’s and early 2000’s Dad and Mum became proud, loving and supportive grandparents to their 12 grandchildren. In the last eight years Dad also became great grandfather to four beautiful little girls. Sadly, Mum was only here to meet the first of their great granddaughters. 

Throughout their life Dad and Mum had never travelled much outside of Victoria except a few trips interstate to visit their children who lived in South Australia, NSW, Western Australia and Canberra for periods of time. They had never been overseas until 1996 when they went on a trip to the UK and Ireland which they loved.

In 2008 with some deteriorated health issues, Mum and Dad moved back to Melbourne to be closer to all their children. They lived in a unit in Box Hill North for a couple of years then in late 2009 after Dad could no longer drive, they moved to Corpus Christi Retirement Village in Clayton. 

After moving to the Retirement Village unit in Clayton, they quickly immersed themselves into the community and made many new friends.

After a few years however Mum needed to move to the adjacent Corpus Christi Aged Care facility. Dad used to walk over there every day to visit her for a couple of years. Then in 2015 Dad also needed to move to the Aged Care facility. They were together there for several months until Mum passed away in February 2016. Dad had been living at Corpus Christi Aged Care for the past 8½ years. The last couple of years have been pretty difficult as his health had deteriorated significantly. However, he is now at peace and no doubt up in heaven with Mum. 

Many years ago, at a funeral Pat attended, this poem was read and it has stuck with him ever since.  To conclude our story of dad we would like to share it with you: 

The Dash

I read of a man who stood to speak at a funeral of a friend.  He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning…to the end.
He noted that first came the date of birth and spoke of the following date with tears but said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time they spent alive on earth and now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own, the cars…the house…the cash.
What matters is how we lived and loved and how we spend our dash.
So, think about this long and hard; are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left that still can be rearranged.
To be less quick to anger and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile…remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy is being read, with your life’s actions to rehash, would you be proud of the things they say about how you lived your dash?

by Linda Ellis (www.LindaEllis.life)

History is full of great people. Of men and women who have led nations, armies and done amazing things for their nations and their people. Men and women who have performed amazing feats in physical and intellectual pursuits. History is full of heroes. Our dad, Bernie Janes was a great man. He was our hero.

Published: 1 March 2024