CLASS ACT
Popular former teacher prepares to celebrate 90th birthday
A WELL-KNOWN and loved former teacher will turn 90 next month, celebrating his milestone birthday with 60 friends and family at the Broadbeach Bowls Club.
Born in Emerald in 1928, Alan Millard and his family moved to a “little quiet country village” known as Southport on the Gold Coast when he was nine years old.
His father worked for the railway and was a driver of the old steam train which ran through the Coast to Brisbane.
“You used to get soot on you in the cabin at times,” Mr Millard remembers. “There was not one high-rise building and where we live now (Robina) was just a big bushland.
“There was no crime and everyone knew everyone. It was a lot different than it is today.”
Living on Scarborough St, Mr Millard said boats were always on the water with people fishing and enjoying milkshakes at a diner on Nerang St on a Saturday night.
“There weren’t any nightclubs or anything.”
Mr Millard met his wife Margaret through her father who was a South Coast football coach.
“I was in the Southport club and meetings were held at her father’s house,” he said.
“At the first meeting, I saw this beautiful girl and it all went from there. I would go over frequently.”
The couple went on to have three children, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren and celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary on May 1.
Having influenced countless young lives as a well-loved teacher, Mr Millard taught thousands of students in his 40-year teaching career.
After completing teacher’s college, Mr Millard spent four years teaching at the Darling Downs. He returned to the Coast to teach at Pimpama and Coomera before becoming deputy principal at Coolangatta. He has also taught at Biggera Waters, Coomera, Musgrave Hill and was stationed at Labrador for 16 years and Palm Beach for 10 years, where he retired at 63.
Mr Millard was awarded Gold Coast Citizen of the Year in 2003 after more than 25 years service to the Gold Coast Eisteddfod (formerly Tropicarnival). His wife won the award in 1999.
Mrs Millard was a co-founder and chairwoman of the eisteddfod and Mr Millard was on the board and an announcer for the event for 30 years.
He was also involved with the Gold Coast Lions Club at Southport for 30 years.
AT THE FIRST MEETING, I SAW THIS BEAUTIFUL GIRL AND IT ALL WENT FROM THERE. ALAN MILLARD