By NARELLE COULTER
MANY of the major milestone’s in Joyce Polman’s life have been recorded in the pages of the Dandenong Journal.
A photograph of Joyce and husband Koos on their wedding day, appeared in September 1961 under the heading Dandenong City Soccer player and his bride.
“Leading Dandenong City soccer player, Koos Polman and his bride, formerly Miss Joyce Lorraine Lindsay, of 48 Potter St., Dandenong. They were married at St James’ Church of England, Dandenong, on August 5th. Joyce is a member of the staff of H.J. Heinz Co., Dandenong. She and her husband now reside at 14 Grandview, Avenue, Dandenong,” announced the Journal.
Joyce next appeared in the Journal in November 1973 when her fifth child, Trevor, was born at Dandenong Hospital on her birthday.
“Everybody said they had seen that photo in the paper,” Joyce said, looking fondly at the clipping of her proudly holding Trevor in the hospital in which she was also born.
When daughter Debbie wed in 1992, Joyce and Koos were in the family photo that appeared in the Journal. The happy couple and her proud parents were surrounded by members of the Dutch Male Choir, which performed at the wedding.
In 1994, two of Joyce and Koos’s grandchildren were among a group of babies sitting among cabbages that appeared on the front page of the Journal promoting the Bonnie Babes Foundation.
Last year Joyce was featured in the Journal again when she was snapped at Dandenong Primary School’s 140th anniversary celebrations.
And now she is in the Journal’s special commemorative edition.
Joyce grew up in McPherson Street. Her dad worked at engineering firm Kelly and Lewis and was a gardener at Dandenong Park for a time.
Her parents were regular Journal readers.
Joyce remembers lining up to buy the Journal outside the old Scott Street office.
“I remember that little building. Gosh you hardly had room to turn around.”
Joyce and Koos have lived in Apex Street, Dandenong North, for 42 years. The couple have five children and eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Joyce keeps her copies of the Journal safe in a little chest in the spare bedroom.
“I do look at them now and then. They bring back a lot of memories. It has been a journey.”
