A former Wagga schoolteacher who spent decades volunteering for Meals on Wheels has been remembered as a "charming soul" with a great love of the city.
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Named Wagga's Citizen of the Year in 2007, Helen Buchanan died on January 20 at 90 years of age.
Mrs Buchanan moved to Wagga in 1970 to work at Wagga High School as a year patron and PE teacher and was affectionately known as 'Mrs B'.
During her time as a teacher she was instrumental in pioneering sexual education workshops with students and their families and had plenty of input in the state's Personal Development, Health and Physical Education curriculum.
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Mrs Buchanan's daughter Jane Lindsay said her mother clearly made an impact on her students even after her retirement in 1985.
"She absolutely loved being stopped in the street by former students and was grateful to receive many letters over the years from individuals who extended their gratitude for her impact in their lives," Mrs Lindsay said.
Following her retirement Mrs Buchanan began volunteering for Meals on Wheels, only finishing up in late 2019 after 35 years of service.
Mrs Lindsay said she was "very much motivated by service and connection," and she enjoyed helping the "oldies" who were often younger than her.
"She never missed an opportunity to have a chat, so she relished the chance to talk with clients in their homes," Mrs Lindsay said.
Mrs Buchanan's passion for volunteering also extended to work across the city with the Friends of Stewart House, Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Society, The Wagga Wagga Antique Society, The National Museum of Australian Pottery and The Association of Riverina Cultural Clubs.
A mother to four children, grandmother to seven and great-grandmother to nine, Mrs Buchanan's family will remember her "zest for life" from her career, to volunteering, to her extensive international travels.
"She had an incredible sense of community and absolutely loved Wagga," Mrs Lindsay said.
She said Mrs Buchanan felt she had been well looked after by the Wagga community as she grew older, from her friends, community groups and even workers in her local supermarket.
"We are exceptionally thankful for the care she and our family received at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital and the Transitional Unit at Mary Potter Nursing Home," Mrs Lindsay said.
"As an elderly person, while she didn't like her body slowing down, she spent her final days reflecting on what a blessed life she had and how much she loved her home."
