LONGTIME Guildford resident and Indigenous rights activist Margaret Jeffery (nee Blair) passed away last month.

Mrs Jeffery is remembered for her tireless work over the years in the fields of Aboriginal rights, the environment and heritage as well as fighting injustice and racism in society.

“Margaret graduated as a psychologist and gave her life to Indigenous people,” her son Mark Jeffery said.

“She did this at all levels: personal, local, state, federal and international and was involved in many issues over more than 50 years.

“Her home sometimes resembled a very busy welfare centre or community office with people from all walks of life who were down on their luck or in trouble coming for help, which she would never refuse.

“She provided food, somewhere safe to stay, office facilities, advocacy and support. Mum also wrote heaps of letters on behalf of many people and their concerns.”

Mr Jeffery said his mother was always on the phone or at meetings and had an extensive network of contacts and supporters in government, the media, law, health, the religious community and the Aboriginal community.

“Mum also helped with people’s legal problems, health, transport, money, funerals, family issues, homelessness, employment, personal distress and many other things.”

Mrs Jeffery is remembered for her kind and gentle nature along with her lifelong and tenacious commitment to righting the injustices suffered by First Nation’s peoples.

She was buried at Guildford Cemetery with the funeral cortege driving past Mrs Jeffery’s old house in Helena Street and the old auction tree which stands on floodplain near the back of her property.

The funeral was well attended by many members of the local community, Noongar Elders and the Guildford Association, of which Mrs Jeffery was a member.

A short graveside burial service was conducted by the former mayor of Bassendean Bevan Carter and accompanied by a smoking ceremony.

The funeral reception was held at the home of her brother David Blair.

Mrs Jeffery died in Melbourne on April 2 and leaves behind former husband Peter and three children: Sonya, Mark and Daniel.