Jennifer Pittorino
The First female elected Councillor of Footscray City Council, Sika Kerry OAM died peacefully at age 85.
Ms Kerry died on Tuesday, April 18, leaving behind a lasting legacy.
In 1972, Ms Kerry’s election was a first in the 113-year history of the Footscray City Council.
At age 11, Ms Kerry arrived in Melbourne on June 26 1949 as part of the post-war migration to Australia.
Her interest in the local community began after attending her first council meeting following the difficulty she faced getting them to respond to flooding in her street.
Her election marked the beginning of more than 30 years of community service for the western suburbs of Melbourne.
Her work primarily focused on women and migrants, helping them to straddle two cultures, paving the way for women to enter local government.
Amongst many other achievements, she helped establish the first Footscray Migrant Resource Centre in 1981, now known as the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.
She worked at Keilor City Council in aged care services, became a life governor of the Western General Hospital and spent many years on the ethics committee of Victoria University.
She was the first woman on the Western Region Council of Technical Education and a councillor at the Western Centre Against Sexual Assault.
She has made major contributions to both, the Australian Local Government Women’s Association, and the welfare of the local Russian community through the Russian Ethnic Representative Council and numerous aged care, welfare and education services.
In 1991 she received the Medal of the Order of Australia in recognition of her contribution to local government and multiculturalism.
Ms Kerry is survived by her two children, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
The funeral service for Ms Kerry will be held at The Holy Protection Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church, 3 Albion St. Brunswick East on Wednesday April 26 at 11.30am.
