Warrnambool's Sue Henry remembered as generous, caring soul

Warrnambool's Sue Henry, an Order of Australia Medal recipient, died last week, aged 77. She will be farewelled with a service today.

Vern Robson, a former colleague and friend of 46 years, paid tribute to Mrs Henry.

"Sue was a special person and dedicated her life to other people," Mr Robson, the former Warrnambool City Council manager said.

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Mr Robson said Mrs Henry touched the lives of thousands of families with children who lived with a disability.

"She was a wonderful person for Warrnambool and the district," he said.

"She's given a life-time of service in both her professional career, and through volunteering.

"She has been exceptional in helping families in the south-west. "Lots of children living with disabilities have benefitted from her professional support and helped through Anglicare Warrnambool."

Mr Robson said Mrs Henry had also helped people who were homeless, unemployed or isolated.

Susan Margaret Henry was born on April 5, 1944, in the United Kingdom. She was the only daughter of Harold and Gladys Vedmore.

She received an OAM in 2013 for services to the Warrnambool community. That same year she was named Warrnambool's volunteer of the year, and the Warrnambool City Council's community service award recipient in 2014.

Mrs Henry received a Diploma in Early Childhood Education from the Kindergarten Training College in Kew, Melbourne in 1964, thereafter being appointed as the Kindergarten Director at the West Warrnambool Kindergarten, caring for children at the facility from 1969 to 1975.

The City of Warrnambool also appointed her as the first preschool field officer under a then-new federal government childhood development program.

"Sue quickly endeared herself to genuinely help families in South West Victoria, many of whom were financially disadvantaged, with others needing expert professional guidance to enable their children to receive the best possible care, advice and treatment for their various disability," Mr Robson said.

"It was usual routine for Sue travelled several hundreds of kilometres every week to maintain her contact with and support these rural families."

On August 27, in 1983, in Port Fairy she married Neville Henry, who passed away suddenly 20 years later.

In May of 2011, she launched The Vedmore Foundation, a Warrnambool-based philanthropic trust to support a range of charitable and not-for-profit causes, providing grant assistance.

Major projects through the foundation include Peter's Project, the South West Regional Cancer Centre special cancer program.

She also financially supported Western Regional Drug & Alcohol Centre's proposed drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre, The Lookout, assisting indigenous students with scholarships, was heavily involved in Christ Church Anglican Parish, local retirement village Heatherlie Homes, and trained people living with a disability with pistol shooting at the Warrnambool Pistol Club.

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