LOCAL mother-in-law Beth Williams has many reasons to be proud of her remarkable relatives, as her third son-in-law was awarded an Order of Australia at the recent King’s Birthday Honours.

Beth’s son-in-law David Hawson, a recently-retired lawyer, was cited for the Order of Australia specifically for “service to the community through a range of roles”, and was the chairman of Campbell Page, a not-for-profit organisation delivering a range of services in employment, community and commercial sectors.

Prior Orders have been awarded to two more of Beth’s sons-in-law, Kent Heazlett AM, and Gregor Millson OAM, both in 2019, for “significant service to business and international trade” and “for service to people with disability”, respectively.

Mr Heazlett was heavily involved in the customs broking and international freight industry, and was national chairman of the Customs Brokers and Forwarders Council of Australia.

Mr Millson has a strong background in the retail construction industry, and is co-chairman of charity ‘The Sargood Foundation’.

“They’re a great credit to their parents, their recognition is certainly appropriate, they have done much for their communities in different ways, and they are three wonderful men whom I am proud to have as part of my family,” Beth told NOTA.

“It’s a bit of a surprise, not many families can say they have three Order of Australia recipients, and I am proud of all six of my children.”

Beth keeps in touch with all six children, thirteen grandchildren, and, so far, seventeen great-grand-children, and can even recall all their phone numbers.

Beth,92, and her husband, David, 94, moved to Tea Gardens back in 1994, and have been active in the community during that time, including helping found the Hawks Nest Bridge Club, and Beth still plays regularly, saying that the game keeps her brain working and her memory fit.

“It gives me great satisfaction to see something like that still going, and you need a good partner – I’ve had the same one for the last 28 years,” Beth proclaimed.

By Thomas O’KEEFE