Maureen Jean Miller

Awarded for service to community, arts or media and health

Born: 21 February 1933

Entered on roll: 2019

“Dedicated to volunteering from a young age”

Since the age of 13, Maureen Miller (nee Gayton) has dedicated life to serving Tasmania’s public hospitals as a volunteer through the State Hospital Auxiliaries. For over 72 years, Maureen has helped raise important funds for health.

Maureen is a Life Member of one of the few remaining hospital auxiliary branches, the Claremont Branch. Maureen and her twin sister, Nadine Wise, joined the Claremont Branch in 1946.

Maureen was State President of the Hospital Auxiliaries on numerous occasions, hosted and organised state conferences, and oversaw the last state conference in 2014. Maureen is a Life Member of State Hospital Auxiliaries.

For decades, Maureen was an active member of the Red Cross, joining the Claremont Branch in the 1950s.

In the aftermath of the 1967 bushfires, Maureen spent countless days collecting, collating and delivering supplies and coordinating support for those impacted by the fires across southern Tasmania. She spent weeks helping to coordinate donations at the Hobart City Hall and distributing supplies to outlying districts; she collated data on those made homeless by visiting outlying districts from Ouse to Cygnet and beyond. She also provided support to women in the temporary camp at Snug in the months after the fires by serving hot food, setting women’s hair and making clothes for women and children.

Maureen graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Tasmania, has been a practising artist all her adult life, and is a winner of the Royal Hobart Show Art Exhibition.

Maureen regularly donated artwork to organisations for fundraising, including the Royal Hobart Hospital, Heart Foundation, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Art Society and other charitable organisations. Maureen’s creative skills are also evident in the soft toys, sewing, knitting, crafts and colourful tea cosies she makes for charity. Maureen has also made wedding, debutante and bridesmaid dresses for women and girls in need.

Maureen received the Glenorchy City Council Australia Day 1984 Citizen Award for service to the community.