Jeanette Thrush Brentnall Linn, OAM
7 September 1930 – 19 November 2019
Eulogy by her three sons Bruce, Peter and Jack Linn, 27 November 2019
Bruce
My brothers and I have the challenging task of recounting the life and significant accomplishments of our beloved mother Jenny, which we will do in three parts. I will cover roughly the first half of her life, Jack the second and Peter will reflect on the human side of Mum’s life. The task is more than a little daunting partly because it would take days to do justice to her very full life (and I promise you we will be succinct), but also because we are conscious that she will most likely give us a constructive critique when we eventually join her!
In reflecting on the qualities that defined Jenny, the ones that rise to the top are compassionate, trail blazer and meticulous. Others that came to mind included role model, faithful, determined, formidable, thorough, driven, professional and, unquestionably, a leader. She was also a person who held an enormous gravitas, a quality both unusual for a woman of her generation and uncomfortable – indeed, sometimes unwelcome – for many of her peers. Above all, however, she was a deeply compassionate and caring human being who had an abiding passion for improving the lives of those who were fortunate enough to enter her orbit.
Jenny was born Jeanette Thrush Brentnall Gard on 7 September 1930, the daughter of Harold Gard and Vera Thrush, both professional opera singers and teachers, which probably explains Mum’s lifelong love of music and education, passions she passed on to her children and grandchildren. Her early years by her account were in a loving, nurturing and caring home at Magill [South Australia] with a strong mother, an equally strong but doting father and her two older brothers Owen and Alfred Gard, who apparently looked out for her constantly during her childhood. She was also somewhat celebrated as the only girl to be born into the Gard family for several generations.
Her parents believed in the importance of education and, although economic conditions were tough for the Gard family in the 1930s, they managed to send her to St Peter’s Girls’ School, following in her mother’s footsteps, a decision that would have a profound impact on Jenny for the rest of her life. The values of the sisters of the school and confidence instilled in her during her time at St Peter’s Girls served to create the strong, determined, confident yet faithful and compassionate woman we all came to know and love.
She graduated from St Peter’s Girls at the tender age of 16 and immediately entered the medical school at the University of Adelaide, another institution with which she would have a lifelong relationship.
Entering the medical school in 1947, Jenny found herself amongst a large cohort of ex-servicemen who returned from World War II and one of a very small contingent of women. Amongst the ex-servicemen was our late father, John Linn, who was six years older than Jenny and, according to her, admired her from a distance but gently protected her from the hordes of other ex-servicemen for several years before making his intentions clear. Our father was ever the gentleman.
She graduated from medical school in 1953 and married John Linn, our dad, in the same year. They also went into professional partnership together in a country practice at Mallala. Their successful personal and professional partnership lasted just over 50 years until Dad’s passing in 2000 – a tribute to them both.
It was only later that we learned that Mum had to contend with some significant community resistance to her being both a mother and a practising doctor, which was trail-blazing in the 1950s and 60s. Someone said to me this week that Jenny’s life would have been very significant in the current era but was truly outstanding for a woman born in the 1930s.
I was born in 1954, closely followed by twins Peter and Sally in 1955, and then after a few years Jack was born in 1961. Those were very vibrant and happy years in my memory, doing all the things a happy young family does. Recently, courtesy of cousin Robert, we came across some very early colour movies of this period, taken by our grandfather, which served to reinforce memories of the happy and supportive home Mum had built with Dad and the support of their parents, our grandparents.
Sadly, Sally passed away, aged six, in May 1962. This of course had a lasting impact on the family and her memory lives on with us today.
The family made the transition from rural life to suburban Adelaide in 1969. My brothers and I have many clear and fond memories of those years in Walkerville as teenagers.
Jenny always encouraged and welcomed family and friends to our home, at all hours, and there were many memorable parties – but perhaps those stories are for another time.
Having survived those teenage years with three sons, Jenny was overjoyed to welcome her three daughters-in-law, Jo, Rose and Johanna to the family over the ensuing decade.
One of my enduring memories of this time was when Jo and I announced in 1977 that we were expecting Jenny’s first grandchild, Fiona, her response was a somewhat indignant, ‘Oh I’m much too young to be a grandparent yet’. She was 46.
I’ll now hand over to Jack, who will cover the next phase of Jenny’s life.
Jack
The 1970s were an increasingly busy time in Mum’s life. While being wife and mother to teenage boys (and all the imaginable and unimaginable challenges of that!), she was progressively becoming involved in medico-politics. All the while running a busy general practice, and being the first medical superintendent of the Walkerville Nursing Home, where ironically she would spend her final years.
During this period she also completed her Doctor of Medicine with her thesis titled ‘Chronic Illness in the elderly: The ole of the nurse’. She recognised the importance of interdisciplinary care, specifically coordinated care between medical and allied health professionals – several decades ahead of much of her profession.
Her involvement in medical politics culminated in her being the first female president of the South Australian branch of the Australian Medical Association (AMA), and later sitting on the federal executive of the AMA.
However, she had other achievements, many of which were ‘firsts’ for a woman.
She was awarded her Fellowship of the RACGP in 1971, and was the only female general practitioner to participate in the first Australian exam seminar and pass successfully.
She served and chaired several committees including the family planning committee, the postgraduate committee in medicine, the publications committee, the medical education committee, and was chair of the accreditation committee. The prime purpose of this last committee was to accredit practices for the training of young medical graduates in the special techniques and skills of general practice.
She sat on the RACGP Board for many years, and was the first female provost of the RACGP SA&NT faculty in 1988.
Her work with young graduates extended to the University of Adelaide, where she was a member of Council, clinical senior lecturer in the department of general practice, convener of the academic progress appeals tribunal, and had various roles with the Alumni Association.
Furthermore, she sat on the Medical Board of South Australia, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, the Legal Practitioners Conduct Board, the St Andrew’s Hospital Board and the South Australian Postgraduate Medical Education Association (SAPMEA) Board.
If that is not enough, she was a member of the Aviation Medical Society, and was a designated medical examiner for decades.
In other areas, she established the St John’s Ambulance Brigade at Mallala, was a member of the St Barnabas (Theological) College Council, the St Peter’s Cathedral Council, a member of the St Peter’s Girls’ School board, a Member of the Order of St John of Jerusalem and a foundation member of the order of St Lazarus of Jerusalem in South Australia with the rank of commander.
As alluded to previously, she was passionate about the health and education of young people, working at the Student Health Service at the University of Adelaide for many years. She was a mentor to a generation of young people, enabling them to achieve their full potential. This included a number of young doctors, importantly a young Dr Clare Fairweather.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you Clare, on behalf of the entire family, for the professional and caring way that you managed Jenny’s final years in a way that would have made her very proud.
Jenny was also a role model for her three daughters-in-law, and I know they deeply respected her opinion and guidance in all matters, including managing three challenging husbands!
She was a completely dedicated medical practitioner who cared deeply for her patients, and was always prepared to ‘go the extra mile’.
Much of her work was groundbreaking both for that era, and as a woman in a male-dominated profession. To achieve this, she was driven, meticulous, resilient and a strong advocate of her values, which translated into her central role in the family.
As a grandmother of seven – Fiona, Andrew, Alison, Matthew, Nicola, Sophie and David – she was proud and supportive of all her grandchildren’s varied endeavours.
Although professionally busy until her later years, she loved the time babysitting grandchildren, encouraging them to cook (with varying success!), all the while instilling in them her life values, and a love of chocolate of course.
Jenny had a strong sense of community, and much of her life energy, including her professional role, was directed toward church and community. This stemmed from her instinctively caring and compassionate nature.
She was involved with St Peter’s Cathedral for many years, including as the first female dean’s warden, and later in life at St Andrew’s, Walkerville. She was a willing contributor to cathedral life, but always with an eye on the congregation on a hot day in case anyone should faint.
She loved flowers, and arranged flowers at the cathedral for many years, teaching many volunteers the craft, again with varying success! Jenny also loved the cathedral music. She was herself a talented musician, and encouraged and supported a love of music throughout the family.
Even after her retirement from medical practice, she continued to be a community leader, including as a member of the Walkerville Council and mentor to numerous young professionals.
On a personal note, Mum was a wonderful support and mentor to me. I find it hard to imagine a better mother.
She instilled in me, from a young age, the importance of attention to detail, getting it right, and going the extra mile to help people; an attribute that haunts me on a professional level daily! She was a second mum to a number of close friends, and provided, along with Dad, a loving, caring and accepting family home.
I’ll now hand over to Peter.
Peter
Mum’s eulogy, part three, is a mixed bag ranging from great joy to a great sadness.
The joys: amongst it all, a lot of laughter, entertaining, gardening, spending time with grandchildren, marriages. The story of the near double wedding, and marriages of John and Jenny, 2009; Fiona and Austin, 2010; Ally and Paul, 2011; and Matt and Abby, 2019 (which Jenny did not attend).
She met all of the great grandchildren: Lincoln,; Zoe,; Nina,; and Patrick,.
The sad bits: the death of John Leslie Linn, 23 August 2000.
After the death of our father, John, in 2000, she endured some difficult years. This was because of the amazing relationship between our father and our mother. John’s support for her in all things enabled her to be able to achieve all that she did.
We cannot talk of Jenny and not mention John Hain. A family friend for over 50 years and Jenny’s second husband, John Hain breathed new life and energy into Jenny. With John she regained that spark for life that had been missing since the death of Dad. They had great times together. John showed his devotion to Jenny every day. This was especially true as Jenny’s illness progressed and he visited her daily in the Walkerville home. Along with her care team, he supported her as she declined as a result of dementia.
We all owe John a debt of gratitude for his dedication, endurance, persistence and love of Jenny to the end.
Bruce and Jack have given a summary of Jenny’s life, what she was for us and to us.
Jenny was recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2002 with the award of a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). The citation reads:
For her services to the medical profession as a general practitioner, lecturer and health advisor, particularly in the field of geriatrics, and to the community through a range of education, church and women’s groups.
Twice in my life I recall reaching out to her for counsel: once when Rose, our children and I were living in Far North Queensland in Weipa; the second time was when I was serving in Afghanistan in 2009. Both times I was sharing with Jenny the difficulties of life.
When she asked me ‘Are you making it a better place?’, the question I felt sums up Jenny’s life. She used all her gifts to try and make the world a better place.
Jenny was a lady with many gifts: meticulous, compassionate, trail blazer, who through these talents was a role model to a generation of young people, including at the professional, community and family levels.
She used all her gifts to try and make the world a better place. This is why we are here today to celebrate and give thanks for her life.
Jenny passed away peacefully on Tuesday 19 November 2019, aged 89.
Her legacy is that she passed on this passion to serve. To serve her profession, the community and family to all who would listen and share her passion for life.
Bruce, Peter and Jack Linn, November 2019