Tribute to Jeannette Miles (nee Langan)
Born: 2/1/1974
Died: 17/6/2012
Jeannette worked at NCCARF from February 2009 until her tragic death in a motorcycle accident in June 2012. During that time she brought to NCCARF exceptional skills as a Knowledge Communicator and a wonderful personality.
Jeannette made no secret about how much she loved her job and her commitment to NCCARF’s goals. She was thoughtful, bright, innovative, hard-working, strategic and well organised. In addition to producing newsletters, organising seminars and publishing NCCARF’s large suite of publications, Jeannette found time to teach, encourage and support her colleagues. At work, as in her private life, she knew how to make things happen to support what she cared about. She knew what to do, and she did it.
Jeannette had a passion for the welfare of Australia’s wildlife. She was personally and directly involved in wildlife caring and especially loved and cared for fruit bats, spending many weekends educating the public on the role of bats in the ecosystem. In this role she was a regular trainer at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Jeannette and her husband Gavin cared for injured bats at their forest home, and Jeannette brought daily vignettes about her adventures that both educated and entertained her office colleagues.
Jeannette sold chocolates in the office to the appreciation of her colleagues and, most importantly for her to raise funds for wildlife services. She also managed our birthday candles, organised our Christmas parties and was the darling of race day. She greeted everyone with a warm and genuine G’day that showed she was delighted to see you. Sewing, knitting, languages and painting were among her many accomplishments.
Many people who were touched by Jeannette’s grace have contacted her NCCARF colleagues to express their sadness and sense of loss at her death. She left a light but indelible touch on those she met. We will miss her strength, her good sense, her enthusiasm, her commitment, her humour. The world is a poorer place without her. She stood up and she made a difference.
