Robert Killick joins us to explore the life and impact of the woman who shaped his world and Lived life to the fullest. In his biography A Woman of Gold, he paints a warm, honest portrait of a woman whose faith, generosity, and steady courage transformed everyday choices into a lasting legacy. Join us as we honor an ordinary woman who became extraordinary and discover how her story might inspire in your own.

Welcome to this edition of Newsgram! 

Today on Newsgram, we’re celebrating a life well-lived. I can’t think of a better honor than telling someone on their deathbed, don’t worry you will be remembered and then publishing a book that explains why. Knowing you were loved and sharing those reasons with the world; who wouldn’t want that? Judy Killick has left a lasting legacy and today we are going to meet her through the words of her husband  Robert who finished writing it under the emotional weight of knowing that time was running out. Judy’s health was fading. Here is Robert to pick up the story. 

Robert Killick – Judy and I had been married for 64 years, and in the last couple of years, her body was starting to fade, I think is the nicest way of saying it, and the family agreed. I’ve already written a previous book called As Good as Gold, which was to do with the chemical company we have, but for Judy, it was like we thought, well, she has a legacy. The least we can do is to provide a background for people just to appreciate the lady. And so what motivated her was, well, and it happened that we had just got back our report from the editor to say that yes, we’ve cleared everything up, everything is good, and so Judy saw that part of the book, and then she died within a fortnight.

So let’s meet this amazing woman and learn more about the inspiration for the book A Woman of Gold: A Biography of Family, Faith, and Business by Dr. Robert W. Killick; Part scrapbook, part love letter and part guide to living a meaningful life. 

Robert Killick – She was committed to helping people. It was her raison d’etre, as the French say, the reason being that she could get out and just help people in any need they had or whatever circumstances they were in. And yes, so she was that sort of lady. And I just think they’re built that way. I mean, it just amazes me how, you know, you look back and you just see a truly wonderful lady. 

He says her commitment to helping others wasn’t just an activity for her; it was instinct. And it wasn’t as if she had extra time on her hands. Judy was a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, schoolteacher, church elder, philanthropist — and an avid tennis player who approached the court with the same energy she brought to everything else. All of this from a woman who left school at 15 and eventually helped run a global chemical company.

Robert Killick – She always said goodbye to me when I was going to work. And then she’d regularly want to, as I just before I left, she’d grab me by the lapels, my shirt lapels, shake me like a wet rat, she just shook me. And so just remember one thing, all wisdom does not lie with Bob Killick, right? Now, with that instruction, I was ready to go out and do it.

That’s a pretty good way to keep your CEO humble. 

Robert Killick – What the lady did provide was common sense. She knew, because of the people she was always, you know, out talking with and whatever, she always had a sense of where people were going, what they were doing. She had that, it was innate that she had that common sense that she could really do things. So in a sense, while I had all the technical background, she also had just the wisdom of, well, good advice. 

That combination of technical skill and wisdom is what kept their business thriving for decades. It was Judy’s compassion that shaped the company’s culture. 

Robert Killick – It was a true family company. Now, at the moment, we have 70 people working for us. It was one of those situations where she knew people. And we’ve got people, I’d say most of our people have been with us 15, 20, 25 years. So I think this reflects, again, the impact that Judy has as a loving person for whoever you were, whatever you were.

The book is partly a celebration of life as well as a window into a remarkable marriage.

Robert Killick – We both had a great respect for each other. And we don’t live in America, as you appreciate. We live in a White House here in Australia and White Houses in Australia are not like they are White House, the White House in America. But we always used to say, oh, well, pardon me. Oh, well, the president is well. The husband isn’t bad either.

That sense of humor is evident in the book as well. 

A Woman of Gold is more than a biography. It’s a blueprint for how ordinary days can become a legacy. It’s the building blocks of generosity, wisdom, love and laughter that can transcend generations. 

Judy didn’t set out to become extraordinary. She just lived her life to the fullest,  loved deeply, and used whatever she had whether it be her time, talent, or a tennis racket — to bless the people around her.

If you enjoy reading about the truly good people in this world, then take a look at A Woman of Gold: A Biography of Family, Faith, and Businessby Robert W. Killick. Inside these pages you’ll find a gentle reminder to embrace life fully, to share your blessings freely, and to stay flexible when life changes course.

Because let’s be honest — some days it feels like the world has tilted in the wrong direction. Like we’re living in a place where the powerful squeeze out the vulnerable, where mega-corporations are praised for record profits, where automation replaces livelihoods, and where the gap between the rich and the poor stretches wider every year. It can leave you wondering if people still matter in the grand scheme of things.

That’s why Judy’s story hits so hard.

It’s a quiet counterargument to the noise of the modern world — proof that life doesn’t have to be a competition, and that success doesn’t have to come at someone else’s expense. Her life reminds us that the real currency isn’t gold; it’s love. And unlike gold, love doesn’t run out, doesn’t get hoarded, and doesn’t rise and fall with the market. Its value is infinite.

This book makes you believe, even if only for a moment, that the world could look different if more of us lived with Judy’s sense of purpose — if we served first, cared deeply, and remembered that people, not profits, are what make a life meaningful.

The book is available now at Amazon dot com, Barnes and Noble or wherever you like to shop for books online. Thank you for listening to this edition of Newsgram from Webtalkradio.com. I’m Sam Youmans.