Celebrating Jenny Hall: A life of strength and kindness

“We’re heading over to the farm to see the family, and on the way over there, she seen a lamb on the fence, it was stuck upside down,” Jenny’s son Glenn said.

“She pulled over and there was no mum or any sheep in sight.

“So she said ‘well, I’m not leaving it there by itself’, so she adopted it and took it up to the farm.

“I don’t know if that is classed as sheep stealing, but either way, she couldn’t leave it there.

“That’s just a story of who she was — if she seen something in trouble, she would fix it.

“There’s no bells and whistles on Mum.

“She was pretty plain other than to say that she would help everybody.

“She just loved everybody and loved to help everybody.”

Jennifer Dorothy Eileen Rowbottom was born on June 10, 1942, at Stawell Hospital, a strong and healthy baby. She entered the world during a time of war, with her father, Jim, serving in New Guinea. Her early years were shaped by resilience and the ever-changing world of the 1940s.

When her mother, Vera, needed surgery, Jenny went to live with her maternal grandparents, staying there until she married. It was in these years that she developed a love for adventure, rock-climbing, exploring the hills and rivers at Lake Lonsdale with her twin sisters, June and Joan, and older sister, Anita.

During her time at Lake Lonsdale, she’d help raise money for the Royal Children’s Hospital by going from camper to camper collecting donations. Her generosity was recognised with a hospital bed named in her honour.

She attended school by correspondence before moving to Avon Plains and later Donald High School. Eventually, the family settled in Stawell, where Jenny’s life took a turn.

It started with a loaf of bread

Every day, William Leslie Hall, affectionately known as Billy, delivered milk to Jenny’s grandparents’ home.

Jenny, an animal lover, had a soft spot for a milkman’s horse named Dolly and would offer her a treat of bread each day. That small gesture led to conversations with the milkman, Bill, and before long, the two started dating.

Their love grew strong, and after a long courtship, Jenny and Bill married in 1964.

The newlyweds honeymooned in Shepparton, quickly settling into their new home and new jobs — Bill at a garage, Jenny as a winder at wool company Cleckheaton.

Life in Shepparton was busy but full of warmth. The couple welcomed their first son, Dean, in 1968, but experienced heartbreak shortly after with the loss of their daughter, Vicky. Through their grief, they leaned on each other, and in 1970, their second son, Glenn, was born.

Their home was always open to family, friends and anyone in need of a warm welcome.

No matter who you were or where you came from, Jenny and Bill’s door was always open.

In 1972, Jenny started working at SPC, a job she kept for 52 years. She balanced shifts while raising two boys and still found time for family activities. On top of SPC, she later started “her dream job” at Riverside Nursery, where she worked for 35 years.

It became her happy place — meeting new people, sharing her love of gardening and making sure every customer left a little happier than when they arrived.

The Smiths became an integral part of Jenny’s life and well known as her second family.

While Dean and Glenn were growing up, Jenny was a dedicated footy mum — the one washing jumpers, handing out oranges and driving kids to games.

She backed her sons in everything they did, making sure they never went without. If times were tough, she found a way — like the year they couldn’t afford to go to the show, so she bought a single showbag for them to split, just so they wouldn’t miss out.

Her family continued to grow when Dean married Joanne and Glenn married Cathy. Jenny adored her new daughters-in-law and later became a grandmother to Connor, Allee, Bailey, Meg, Jamieson, Cohan and Lily. She doted on them and was later blessed with great-grandchildren, Harvey and Zayne, bringing even more joy into her life.

“She absolutely adored her seven grandchildren,” Glenn said.

“She was full-time nanny, and she lived for her grandchildren.

“She supported whatever we had got, what was going on.

“Just backing what we did, full force to make sure that we got the best out of what we had to do.”

Age should never define how adventurous you are

After losing Bill in 2010 after 46 years of marriage, Jenny refused to let grief define her. Instead, at 70 years old, she packed her bags and went on a solo adventure to Canada, Alaska and New Zealand. Zip-lining was on her bucket list, and she made sure she ticked that one off.

It was her first time overseas, and she embraced it with the same spirit she had shown throughout her life. When asked about the most amazing thing she had ever done, she didn’t hesitate:

“After yourself (Glenn) and Dean, my two beautiful daughters-in-laws and grandchildren — Canada, Alaska the most amazing place and thing I’ve ever done,” Jenny said.

Jenny fought ovarian cancer for 10 years with resilience, never once complaining. Even when doctors told her there were no more options, she insisted on fighting. Despite the struggles, she kept making memories.

A life celebrated

On January 13, after a decade-long battle with cancer, Jenny passed away peacefully, surrounded by her sons, Glenn and Dean.

Her funeral was held on January 20 at St Augustine’s Church in Shepparton, packed to standing room only. Hundreds came — from across the country — to honour a woman who had spent her life giving so much.

Jenny Hall was a loving wife, a devoted mother, a proud grandmother and great-grandmother, and a friend to many.

According to her son Glenn, she made the world better — not through grand gestures, but through small, quiet acts of kindness that rippled through the lives of everyone she touched.

“If the world had more people like Jenny Hall, it would be a better place,” Glenn said.