Hazel has 104 desendants
Putting kids through school takes 37 years
HAZEL Joyce Slatter (nee Hope) always knew she wanted a big family.
So when a handsome man arrived at her doorstep in her hometown of Goondiwindi, she knew almost immediately he was the one.
Mrs Slatter was 18 when she met Allora man Arthur Slatter in 1949.
They were engaged three weeks later and married that year.
Together they went on to have nine children, 37 grandchildren, 56 great-grandchildren and two great-great-children.
Mr Slatter died at age 55, but Mrs Slatter, 86, lives on with their 104 descendants.
Still as fresh as a daisy, she resides at St Vincent’s Care Services (Lourdes Home), which she credits her health to. She said every day she was surrounded by loved ones.
Mrs Slatter spent about 37
years putting her children through school.
When asked how they managed a large household, Mrs Slatter said communication was key.
Whether it was holiday plans or resolving a disagreement, the couple would always catch-up in the early hours of the morning.
“Our house was very busy so sometimes Arthur would nudge me at 1am in the morning and say ‘are you awake’ and I’d say ‘I am now’ and we’d talk things over,” she said.
Naturally, the family has faced some exceptional highs and horrible lows.
Mrs Slatter’s daughter Judy Knights is battling
aggressive breast cancer, with tumours that have travelled to her spine.
“But she’ll be fine. She’s always been my survivor,” Mrs Slatter said.
Sometimes Mrs Knights would host Christmas Day lunches with up to 30-40 family members.
Mrs Slatter said her granddaughter Melissa
Denny was more like a daughter.
She was born five months after Mrs Slatter had lost her husband and “filled a very big hole I had in my heart”.
Ms Denny grew up to become principal of Llewelyn Insurance Services and has a big family of her own.