Lady Marigold Merlyn Bailleu Southey AC (Myer ’45) has long been a beloved figure in the Victorian community, recognised for her quiet leadership and deep commitment to philanthropy, the arts, and education.

A proud alumna of St Catherine’s School, Lady Southey served as President of the School’s Foundation from 1999 to 2009 and was instrumental in shaping its philanthropic vision. She later became a member of the Bequest Circle and the founding Patron of the Jeanie Hood Society. In 2011, her support led to the opening of the Marigold Southey Sports and Aquatic Centre, an enduring gift to the School community. To this day she continues to love and care about our school.

Beyond St Catherine’s, Lady Southey was a Director of the Myer Family Companies for over four decades, President of the Myer Foundation, and a Life Governor from 2009. She served on the Board of the Stroke Foundation for 17 years before becoming its Patron in 2001 and also served on the Board of Orchestra Victoria. From 1981 to 2009, she volunteered as a Red Cross driver for polio patients, just one of many quiet acts of service that reflect her enduring compassion.

She has been Patron of numerous organisations, including the Australian Ballet School, Lort Smith Animal Hospital, Monash Health, e.motion21, the Spinal Research Institute, and even the Jack Russell Terrier Club.

Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1999 and a Companion in 2006, Lady Southey also served as Victoria’s Lieutenant Governor from 2001 to 2006. Her legacy continues through the many lives and communities she has so generously supported, with humility, heart, and a deep sense of purpose.