John,
We enjoyed so many great times together. Our friendship endured for almost 60 years and that’s something I’ll always treasure. No two ways about it mate, I’ll miss you, your friendship, the long chats we had (we never, in all those years, had a cross word between us-we were proud of that.) and the good times we had together. We always found something to talk about and always had a joke and a laugh, we always agreed that if you don’t laugh you cry, so we laughed a lot. I’ll miss all that. Until we meet again, RIP my friend. May God bless you and keep you safe and well. Thanks for the memories and the great times we shared. Your longtime friend, Ray.

Have known John for a very long time through the riding school we went to. Ray and I were instrumental in introducing both of them and through Ray have maintained contact.

I want to tell you all about my uncle, a man who played a significant part of in our lives. His passing has left a void in our hearts, but today, we gather not just to grieve his absence but to celebrate the life he lived, the wisdom he imparted, and the joy he brought into our world.
Uncle John was a force of nature, a whirlwind of energy and enthusiasm that swept everyone along in his wake. From the moment he entered a room, usually with a boisterous “g’day!” and few jokes up his sleeve, we knew the fun had started.
One of Uncle John’s motto was “If you don’t laugh, you cry” And laugh he did – through life’s ups and downs. He always had a smile on his face and some humorous words of wisdom to turn anyone’s frown upside down. My earliest memories of Uncle John are sitting around the dining table at family gatherings, with him telling jokes and we are laughing. That was Uncle John – always ready to inject fun and laughter into any situation.
But what we loved most about Uncle john was his huge heart. Behind all the laughter was a man of incredible kindness and compassion. This is reflected in the words of his younger sister Wendy. “My brother John always took care of me when we went out, I remember attending the Movie matinee at manly picture theatre, when John was working as a chocolate boy. He would take us to our seats make sure that we had our favourite movie snacks. Once the movie was over, he would find us and seat us near the exit of the movie theatre and say “Wait here for Dad, don’t go outside until dad stops the car” I would sometimes see him watching me waiting to make sure I was safe, this caring nature continued in adult life. Growing up with my brother, I remember him playing with his train set on mum’s lounge room and wrapping them up in cotton wool to keep them safe when packing them away.
While my brother had caring side, he was also a bit a Larakin, during cicada season John would pick up the cicadas not just any cicada but the loudest scariest meanest ones known the drummer and chase me round the yard trying to put them on me.
Despite growing up near the beach John, never liked to swim in the sea, he would always say “’ If were meant to swim, we would have gills, like a fish “. He preferred the land, where he could garden and look after his animals his horse called Fred. The land was where he chose to live with his wife Rhonda, raise his children and grandchildren.

As we say goodbye to my uncle John, we are reminded of the fragility of life and the importance of cherishing every moment. He may have left this world, but his legacy lives on. It lives on in the stories we tell, in the lessons he taught us, in the love he shared. For me I will always be remember him when eating hot chips, or when I see a bus leave the depo and be reminded of his beautiful personality whenever I see Dahalia flowers.
In closing, I want to thank my uncle for everything. Thank you for your wisdom, your laughter, and your love.
So, let’s honour Uncle John’s memory by sharing our favourite stories maybe some of his favourite jokes, and laughing through our tears, by celebrating a life well-lived.