The FAAAA was saddened to learn of the death of John “Terry” Masters on Tuesday 18th of October 2016.
John was born on the 8th July 1932, the youngest of nine. His siblings being two step brothers, Dudley and Bill, brothers Horace, Harold, Errol and Tom and two sisters Marion and Lorraine. His Dad John was a dentist/sugar cane farmer and his mum Lorenzine was kept busy with home duties.
Life in the early years was extremely hard for John losing his Mum at the tender age of 9 and his Dad four years later at 13. It was around this age John had to learn to cook as his role when getting home from school was to provide meals for the cane farmers who had worked the fields all day. He virtually had to bring himself up, as his brothers and sisters were either hard at work in the cane fields themselves or they had joined the armed forces. It really was a hard life.
At the age of 16 John spoke to an older friend who had joined the navy and was told how good it was. John then decided, to enlist where he spent the next 7 years and it was during this time he learnt his trade in carpentry which he continued to do upon leaving.
John being a typical sailor not only spent many hours on board ship but also enjoyed an active lifestyle off base. This meant going out with the mates on various nights to the local dance halls and standing in the corner checking out the ladies. On one occasion John and his sailor mates were out on the town when they accidentally dropped a bottle of wine in the middle of George Street. Whilst standing around saluting and saying a prayer over their loss, they were moved on by the local constabulary and told to take a hike. On one of these nights at a dance hall John spotted Helene and asked her to dance and the rest is history. They married on the 18th July 1953 and lived in Trafalgar Street in Annandale. Prior to this however John had been based at the RAN barracks at Schofields before being transferred to the HMAS Albatross Naval Base in Nowra aboard the Aircraft Carrier, HMAS Sydney. Whilst being stationed on the HMAS Sydney John undertook two tours to Korea. John spent six years in the Navy from 1950 to 1953 as a Navy Airman 1.
Whilst being based in Nowra, and after their marriage, many trips were taken up and down the highway between Nowra and Sydney. John owned a Harley Davidson with a side car at this time and with Wendy being born whilst John was based in Nowra, the happy family would travel together, John driving, Helene in the sidecar with baby Wendy stuffed down in the front at Helens’ feet.
After leaving the Navy John continued to work as a Carpenter/building foreman and spent many years in the housing/building industry on many different housing and buildings sites around Sydney working for companies such as Civil and Civic, AV Jennings, Thomas and Coffey and AJ Edwards. He spent some time on the Opera House and actually had a hand in building the steps of the Opera House. There are many facets and factions within the building game and because of John’s demeanour he was sometimes employed as a trouble shooter if a building project was falling behind. This was to ensure that the job got finished on time and within budget. As you are no doubt aware John and Helene have two daughters Wendy and Lori. John was extremely proud of his two daughters and as they grew up became involved in many of their activities. He was very focussed on the RSL and so when the girls were old enough, he and Helene got involved with the Wentworthville RSL Youth Club.
He supported them in their Rifle Shooting and ballroom dancing for many years. He was also involved in the RSL Sub-Branch both in Sydney and Nelson Bay and remained involved up until his health began to deteriorate. John also had other interests such as the Masonic Lodge and Helene, Wendy and Lori used to go to many of the functions and balls that the Lodge had.
After spending many years in Sydney and before retiring, John and Helene moved to Nelson Bay where he worked in Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley until his retirement at the age of 60. They enjoyed the lifestyle at Nelson Bay such as fishing, boating and sailing. He was always happy to take the grandchildren out to teach them how to fish and have fun times in the boat and he also competed in sailing events at the Soldiers Point Sailing Club. John was also involved with the Coastal Patrol for many years.
John and Helene lived in the Bay until his health was deteriorating to a point where they were needing the help and support of family and had to move to Penrith where he unfortunately ended up in the nursing home. John was an animal lover not only of dogs but birds as well. He enjoyed jam and cheese sandwiches, loved the art of woodworking and the turning of the lathe. He had a passion for beer and wine. He loved fishing from his own hand built boat “Barnaby”, which he built in a garage. The family spent many a fine hour on “Barnaby” enjoying boating, fishing and camping trips.
MAN OF OUR TIME
JOHN WAS DEFINITELY A MAN OF OUR TIME
LIKED TEA COFFEE BEER AND AN OCCASONAL WINE
GOING OUT FOR A MEAL WOULD’NT BE A CRIME
ALL HIS MT EVEREST GOALS,I GUESS HE DID CLIMB
MET HIS WIFE HELENE, SHE WAS JUST FINE
MARRY HER STRAIGHT AWAY THAT WAS DEVINE
JOINED THE NAVY, WORKED OUT TO BE A GOOD SIGN
SERVED IN KOREA IN THE FRONT LINE
MAKING THINGS OUT OF WOOD HIS OWN DESIGN
HE LIKED TO FISH, ANY CHANCE WITH A WINE
RETIREMENT MEANT A LIFE STYLE REDESIGN
AND ALL THE TIME HIS HEALTH WAS IN DECLINE
NASTY BLOOD DISEASE RUINED HIS LATER LIFE
FORCED TO DEPEND ON HIS CHILDREN AND HIS WIFE
MOVING TO SYDNEY WAS NOT OF HIS OWN DESIGN
WITHOUT A DOUBT DEFINITELY A MAN OF OUR TIME
SYDNEY DAVIS