14th August 1914 -1st July 2002
Obituary
My brother Ken wrote and said these words at the funeral of our Dad. We (all six kids) were asked by him to contribute a memory or a sentence or two but I think Ken did a wonderful job of “catching the person, the real man and his spirit”. My greatest wish is that in 100 years this man will still be remembered and loved and these words will help.
A great man died on Monday. He wasn’t a world leader, a famous doctor, a war hero or a sports star. He was no business tycoon and you would never see his name in the financial pages. But he was one of the greatest men who ever lived. He
was my father.
I guess you might say he was a person who was never interested in getting credit or
receiving honours. He did things like pay his bills on time, go to church on Sunday and got
involved in YCW and footy clubs and fund raising for schools. He helped his kids with
their homework, drove his wife to the Vic market on his Tuesday off work. He got a great
kick out of hauling his kids to and from footy games when he could.He had high values
and lead by example. He treated all people he came across with equal courtesy and I can
never remember him passing a person anywhere without greeting them-usually displaying
that sharp wit that was his hallmark.
Dad enjoyed simple pastimes like BBQ picnics at Maroondah dam, a round of golf,
mowing the lawn, camping at Lakes Entrance and the Grampians, playing draughts and
having a good political argument! He spent his life working and sometimes he didn’t seem
to be around and yet he was always there. He was always there, doing what a man had to
do. In retirement he was just a little partial toward the Richmond Tigers Football Club.
This great man died not so much with a smile on his face, but with fulfilment in his heart. He
knew he was a great success as a husband, a father, a brother, a son and most of all as a
friend.
There is a saying that when an old person dies a library burns down. There are many stories that gowith the passing but there are just as many that can be related. A brief tale of his life now follows.
He was born on 14th August 1914 in Balmain St, Richmond. He was the sixth of ten children (the fourth dying at ten months). When Dad was around the age of eight or nine he used to sell sliced oranges to the football crowds attending the Punt Rd
ground. He was a pretty enterprising young fella and soon found how to double his money. He was meant to sell a slice for a penny but sold two slices for threepence.
In October 1924 the young Wilson family found themselves living in Queens Ave Oakleigh.
Life was pretty tough in the years leading up to the depression but matters got worse when
his father committed suicide in November 1928.
That event had a monumental affect on the young Alec. He commenced work as a caddy at
Metropolitan Golf Club shortly after but supplemented this by selling flowers on a street
corner in South Yarra. He used to walk from Oakleigh to Burwood to collect the two pails
full of flowers then tram it to South Yarra and sell them. Once again he turned a handsome
profit by selling them at a marked up price. He then trudged home to Oakleigh via
Burwood to save the tram and bus fares.
This was the physical affect of his father’s death. The mental affect though was greater.
He swore himself off alcohol for life and set forth to become the best person he possible
could be.
In September 1934, when barely 20 years old he commenced work as a steward at the
golf club and two years later, as circumstance would have it, he became head steward, a
position he held, except for the war years, until his retirement in 1979. In a 59 year
association with Metropolitan GC he never took a sickie.
There was a wee slip of a girl who started work in the dining at the GC whom Alec took a
bit of a shine to. He started to walk her home from Benediction of a Sunday night and one
thing lead to another and in March 1943 they were married at Sacred Heart Church in
Oakleigh. Moya and Alec celebrated 60 years of marriage this year.
They lived in Ashburton for 53 years, produced six children, seventeen grandchildren and four great children. There are many stories that could be related of his life in the Ashburton community, where he had been an active parishioner and fund-raiser
from the very beginning, until only three years ago.
My brother Ray described Dads life as one of SERVICE, and I believe that sums it up-
service to his childhood family, then to his own family, the golf club patrons, his church and
parish and his God.
It is what he leaves behind that is important, for it is his spirit, kindness, generosity and love
which he engendered into his children, and they in turn in theirs.
For us it has been the most wonderful journey, which not so much ends today, as sprouts a
few new shoots on the tree of life. We are the living legacy of Alec Wilson.
So from all of us, it’s goodbye husband, father and very special friend. We love you and
thank you, God Bless.
John Bob Ray Colleen Ken Martin Wilson
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