The passing of Merle Mitchell deeply saddens the Board, Staff and volunteers of COTA Victoria.
Merle was a most committed and tireless contributor to the community sector across Australia for many years. Several of our current staff had the joy of receiving Merle’s guidance early in their own careers. In her later years, Merle worked with COTA in a voluntary capacity on many of our policy submissions and projects. Her wisdom was priceless, her passion inspiring.
Merle was a tireless activist from her beginnings as a kindergarten teacher to her final years as an advocate for people in residential aged care. Her lifetime commitment to social justice issues will continue to inspire us as we work to advance the recognition of older people’s valuable role in all communities.
It has been an honour for us to know Merle, work with her, and witness her rich contribution to improving the lives of people who are often marginalised, disadvantaged, and forgotten.
We extend our sincere condolences to Merle’s many friends and family who loved her very dearly.
Go with grace, Merle.
Video of Merle talking about the Royal Commission:
‘I just keep thinking, when I was getting people to write their submissions, that this was the one opportunity that we had to make things right again. And if we didn’t, we were failing our generation and all the generations to come.’