This biographical material comes from an interview conducted by Mirror journalist Wendy Williamson with Cecile Jordan-Ellerman on 14 Dec 2012, who then lived at Banksia Lodge, Foster, VIC.

Cecile was born Cecile Truscott in Foster 89 years ago. She was the first daughter after three boys born to Catherine and Tom Truscott, who had a farm called ‘The Willows’ at Welshpool. Later she had a younger sister and both sisters became nurses. Starting with three cows and a bull, the Truscotts built up a fine Jersey stud ‘Trusada’. Cecile attended school at Welshpool to which her brothers rode on horseback, but her father thought she couldn’t manage a horse, so she had to walk with the neighbours. She loved rural living, particularly the magnificent – and ever-changing – view of Wilson's Promontory from the family property. Bringing in the cattle as the sun went down she would stop to admire the view but her sister Gwen would say ‘Looking at that silly old Prom again?!’ as she didn’t appreciate the view like Cecile did. Cecile’s eldest brother William (Bill) farmed at Hedley until his death at the age of 96. Her other two brothers died in the Second World War. Charlie, who was in the Air Force, was killed flying over Germany. Cecile visited his grave in Berlin in 2006, on a visit to Germany and England with her niece Bronwyn. Her brother Jim was in the army and was killed in Papua New Guinea. Cecile’s nephew, also called Jim, visited his grave in 2011. She thought that 'Lousada' was Spanish.

Cecile left school at quite a young age and trained to be a nurse at the Royal Children’s Hospital. She lived on the premises in Melbourne. Once she was qualified as a nurse she decided to complete her schooling and went to Taylors College to gain her matriculation. She also studied singing and piano at the Conservatorium of Music. She had ideas of doing an arts course, but never quite got there. Instead, she had a very successful career as a nurse – in Melbourne and Sydney. In Sydney she worked at the Children’s Hospital, where she took charge of the private section – Wade House – on the ground floor. She often spent her days off at the home of her uncle at Chatswood. He would collect her in his old Buick. Cecile’s parents retired to Blackburn VIC, so she was able to live with them when she finished her training and was nursing in Melbourne. She completed midwifery at Queen Victoria Hospital and infant welfare at Berry Street. She became matron of Berry Street Babies Home. She then worked for the Health Department as an infant welfare inspector. Cecile studied to become a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing (Australia) and still treasures the gown she wore as a Fellow. It was in her wardrobe at Banksia Lodge. She was also in the Army Nursing Corps/Army Reserve, retiring with the rank of Captain. When she was in her fifties and working for the Health Department, Cecile was sent to Lakes Entrance to replace the nurse in charge of the community nursing circuit while she took leave, and it was there that she met the man who was to become her husband. Edward Jordan-Ellerman came to the health centre to do some repair work. They married and bought a property at Toora North where they ran sheep and Murray Grey cattle. After Ted died, Cecile built a house with the views she loves over Corner Inlet. She was a financial donor to the Heart Research Centre in 2011.

Like her father before her, Cecile was very involved in the National Party for many years. Tom Truscott was president of the Toora/Welshpool branch at one stage. Cecile was secretary of the branch. She would run meetings, arrange afternoon teas and look after politicians when they came through the district. She made sponge cakes being a pretty good cook and enjoyed it when the wood stove was replaced by an electric stove. A keen community worker, she played the organ at St Thomas’s Toora and was president of the Toora Nursing Home Auxiliary for some time. Cecile always loved animals, even taking on an elderly blind Pekinese at one stage. In her younger days she enjoyed tennis and golf. She always had a good library and her father’s best friend was Syd Hall from Hall’s Book Store who was a regular visitor to the farm. She is lucky enough to have an extra sunny corner room at Banksia Lodge, where she says she is looked after very well by the staff, being lucky with medical services in this district, and considers all the staff are very good. Now as long as she has her books, said Cecile, she is happy.