One of Redland City Council’s early female councillor’s Judy Holt has died, aged 86.
Ms Holt died on November 28 after spending the last five years at Prins Willem Alexander village at Birkdale with Alzheimers. She is survived by her four children Roger Holt, Deb Hardinge, Nigel Holt and Danielle Stewart, 11 grand children and 15 great grand children.
Ms Holt leaves behind a significant legacy in the Redlands, since serving as councillor for division 11 from 1979 to 1988, under Chairman EGW ‘Dick’ Wood and later Merv Genrich. Issues of the day included a bridge to North Stradbroke Island and the Raby Bay canal development.
Ms Holt was a lover of sport and the Muddies Cricket and Redland Rugby Union clubs named the Judy Holt Park at Birkdale in her honour. Her son Nigel was a 1984 Australian Wallaby player.
Daughter Danielle said her mother was patron of various sports clubs, including the Capalaba Bowls Club, Bombers and Muddies cricket.
“She always read the paper from the back page and went forward. A lot of her travel was based on sport,” she said.
Ms Holt also built the Redland’s first convenience store in the early 1970s, naming it The Red Shop which still operates on the corner of Finucane and Allenby roads, Birkdale. She later built the shops at Valentine Road, Birkdale, running the Four Square as a family business. Hers was the first Four Square store in Queensland.
Ms Holt also developed the Thorneside mobile home park in Mond Street which is still operated as a family business.
“Mum was energetic, determined and courageous. She had marvellous strength and spirit. She was a doer and a risk taker,” Danielle said.
Ms Holt grew up at Sunnybank and finished school at 12. She worked as a seamstress and was known for her meticulous work, usually working without a pattern and she sewed for most family weddings.
She and her husband Colin lived at Winton for 13 years. Colin died at 42 in 1975. Ms Holt had regularly visited Russell Island as a child to visit her mother’s relatives and was drawn to live in the Redlands.
“Mum loved her grandies, although she did say they were a spoilt group. She was known for her colourful language and for being straight forward.
“I sometimes think that Mum had a male mind inside a female body. She always loved working among men, especially in council,” Danielle said.
Ms Holt’s funeral will be held at Cannon Hill Anglican College chapel on Thursday, December 6 at 11am. Ms Holt was on the board of the school for 18 years and four of her grand children went to the college.
