Joy Potter was born in Nelson, New Zealand at Te Rangi Hospital. The first born daughter after four boys, she was taken as a wee baby to the Maori Pa where her family lived and her father worked running a sheep farm. There she was raised by forward-thinking parents who instilled in her the values of equality, responsibility, and the belief that women can accomplish anything.
Her mother and grandmother played pivotal roles in shaping Joy‘s confidence, emphasising the importance of women and encouraging her to take on new challenges throughout her life. “My mother always said women can do anything, and I never forgot it,“ Joy recalled. This mentality fuelled her determination to pursue nursing and take on leadership roles in various jobs later in life.
When the family first arrived at the Maori Pa, there was no school, so Joy’s mother took matters into her own hands. “She went about organising my brothers, my father and his friends, and they brought a school from miles away on a truck. They placed it on a block of land, and she became the schoolteacher until the government brought in a real schoolteacher years later.“
Joy‘s mother and father met at a dance; her mother was Baptist, and her father was Catholic. “No one thought it was going to work, so neither of their parents came to the wedding,“ Joy shared. Despite their differing religious backgrounds, they held a strong belief in raising children with responsibility, freedom, and joy. “If you have children, you bring them up correctly, let them have fun, but they must be responsible for who they are,“ Joy recalled. As they grew older, the children were given the freedom to make their own decisions.
Living on the Maori Pa as a Pakeha (white) family was a unique experience. “It was the most incredible place to be, because there was freedom, but also responsibilities,“ Joy reflected. Even as a young girl, she had duties, like caring for a lamb that needed feeding. “My mother believed in gender equality, and we all learned the same things,“ she explained. “If she cooked a cake, the boys learned how to cook a cake alongside the girls.“ Her mother‘s influence made a lasting impression on her
At intermediate school, one of her teachers asked, “Joy, what do you want to do when you leave school?“ Joy responded, “I want to be a nurse,“ and that goal became a reality. “I left college at 15 and couldn’t get into nursing right away, but I was determined,“ she said. She marched herself to an old people‘s home and asked the matron to teach her. The matron said yes and by the following Monday, Joy was working as a nurse.
For her 21st birthday, Joy’s mother made her a beautiful cake. While cleaning up afterward, Joy casually told her mother, “I’m leaving tomorrow. Are you coming to the airport?“ Her mother replied, “Are you going back to Nelson?“ Joy responded, “No, I’m going to Australia.“ Her mother was so excited.
When Joy arrived in Melbourne, she went straight to her cousin‘s place in Canterbury. There, Joy met a lady who was very sharp. “She said, ‘Joy, there‘s a position vacant in theatre. Would you like to start tomorrow?‘“ Joy accepted the offer, even though she had no previous experience. “I took the job, learned along the way, and absolutely loved it.“
Near the hospital, there was a large church. “The matron told me, ‘There‘s a church up the road, but we don‘t suggest you go there. It‘s just a lot of loud music.‘“ But Joy thought, “This is right up my alley.“ She played the guitar and other musical instruments, so she went to the church, introduced herself, and ended up in the choir.
At a concert held at the church, Joy saw a group called the Firebrands, and she noticed the drummer, who turned out to be her future husband, Jonathan. “He had black hair, was absolutely gorgeous-looking, and I thought, ‘Pick me.‘“ After the concert, despite many girls vying for his attention, Joy confidently walked up to him, and began talking. “We had coffee, and the rest is history. They got married in New Zealand and then returned to Australia to start their life together. The arrival of their children Nathan and Lisa completed their family and in 1981 they moved to Caloundra, and found their forever home. The small seaside town with its welcoming country-style community was exactly what they were looking for.
In Caloundra, while caring for her community or taking on new challenges, Joy continues to embody the lessons learned from her upbringing. Her self-confidence, belief in equality, and sense of responsibility proving time and again that with determination and heart, anything can be achieved.
