Treasured teacher

By Shaun Inguanzo
A DANDENONG North woman who devoted her life to teaching and to community sport in Greater Dandenong has passed away at the age of 97.
Ella Athorn, known affectionately by her pupils as ‘Mrs A’, was buried on Monday, 13 February at Springvale’s Necropolis cemetery.
She will be remembered by many for her commitment to primary schools throughout Greater Dandenong, where she gained students’ respect for her strict-but-fair attitude and approach.
Ms Athorn moved to Dandenong with her family in 1952 and began teaching at Dandenong Primary School.
Following just under a decade of service to the primary school, Ms Athorn moved to Yarraman Primary when it opened, and then to Dandenong North Primary, teaching students there for 17 years until retiring in 1978.
Ms Athorn will also be remembered in spirit through her Living Treasure status, awarded to her last year by the City of Greater Dandenong.
City mayor Peter Brown said Ms Athorn’s devotion to the wider community extended beyond teaching.
“Ella worked tirelessly for the development of sport in this region and her role as a coach, umpire and member of numerous local committees, was recognised in 1983 when the netball pavilion in Greaves Reserve was named in her honour,” he said.
“Her enormous contribution to the greater good of the sport over a period of 60 years was publicly highlighted when she was presented with the Netball Victoria’s Distinction Award, and her induction as the eighth member of the Netball Hall of Fame.
“She was dedicated to sport and the Greater Dandenong region and she will be sadly missed.”