“Dad wouldn’t even buy a stamp out of town”.
That is how Don Thompson’s youngest daughter Hannah, the only one of his four daughters still living in Rochester, described her father.
Mr Thompson has died at 89 years of age, three weeks shy of his 90th birthday, and was remembered by the community at a service on March 5.
Hannah Thompson shared her memories of her father, having cared for him at the family’s Fraser St home before he spent his final days in care.
She said he was “Rochester to the hilt”, having operated Restdown Motors — at the current site of Ag Warehouse in Rochester — for 35 years.
“He would never go to Coles or Woolworths or Aldi. We shopped at Major’s IGA.
“He was Rochester to the hilt. As a businessman he supported everyone, and everything, in town that he could,” she said.
Don, and wife Margaret, had four daughters: Linda (now Azzopardi, who lives in Warrnambool), Sandra (now McNaught, who lives in Bendigo), Dinah (now O’Donoghue, who is now living at Kamarooka) and Hannah.
“We were all born in Rochester,” she said.
Don opened his business, Restdown Motors, in 1956. The business was so named because it was on the site of the former Restdown Hotel.
Don and Margaret were married in 1956, so it was a big year for the couple; the same year the Melbourne Olympic Games were staged.
Two historic bricks remain embedded in the front wall of the building, now Ag Warehouse, carrying the Olympic logo.
Don’s daughter Hannah shared the story of how her father cheekily requested two bricks after, through his business connections with tyre giant Bridgestone, all dealer partners with the company were allocated one brick featuring the Olympic rings.
The bricks were designed as a momento of the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games.
"Dad was invited down to Melbourne to receive the brick and always told the story of how he asked for two.
“He then placed them in the front wall and my mum used to paint the rings every year,” Hannah said.
Don was not a sporting man, but he had a hand in just about everything else that happened in Rochester during his 35 years in business and well beyond, through community groups, the church and any other individual that crossed his path.
He had only gone into the nursing home six months before his death, having been cared for by his daughter at home for a period of time.
“I looked after him for a period, which was nice, because when I was sick he was like my shadow,” Hannah said.
Hannah suffered a stroke as a young woman and she recalled her father taking her for walks in her wheelchair.
“I was left paralysed on the left side and it was Mum who mostly looked after me during the six months of rehab.
“But Dad used to take me for walks, I had almost six months in the wheelchair, and it was special to be able to walk to Dad as part of his 60th birthday present,” she said.
Don had an unbridled passion not only for Rochester, but also his garden and his extended family.
He had six grandchildren, the first one was born in 1986 and the last in 1991.
He had four great-grandchildren, the last one was born only a few months ago, in December.
His wife, Margaret, died nine years ago, the couple married for 57 years.
"They were married at the Presbyterian church in Rochester.
“Dad came from Bunnaloo, originally, he was one of seven and when he died he was the last of his siblings.
“Mum was a McGregor, and from just outside of Rochester. They met up at an Echuca dance, at St Mary’s,” Hannah said
She recalled her mother telling the story of how Don approached her to dance when she was sitting there by herself.
Linda, the eldest of the girls, was born in 1959.
Don was an A-grade mechanic, who retired in 1991, when Hannah became sick.
“He was offered some money to sell, and took it,” she said.
He loved fishing and taught all the girls how to fish.
He had a strong, and long, friendship with former employee Russ Major, who worked for him for many years.
Hannah recalled one of her mother’s many practical jokes, on this occasion at Russ’ expense, when she made jelly cakes from cotton wool on April Fool’s Day.
“He threw a whole one straight in his mother. After that he poked every one before eating it,” Hannah said
Another former employee, Eric Sinclair, was another close friend, along with Leo Payne (who have also both died).
“He was great friends with Bill and Marlene Mundy, who have moved to Queensland,” Hannah said.
The family owned an old weatherboard house on the corner of Mackay and Fraser Sts, but a decision was eventually made to replace it with the six units which now sit on the property.
"The old house was sold for removal and Mum came up with the idea to build the six units.
"That’s where they lived and where I still live,“ she said.
Don’s daughter, Sandra, presented the eulogy at her father’s funeral.
Bob Knight and Bruce Major, long-time associates, although of a much younger vintage, described Don as “like bread and butter — he was in everything”.
They recalled his Chrysler motor vehicle agency where he sold new and used cars.
“He was well up in Apex before it folded and always had a part in the Sun Tour (cycling race), which is why they came here,” Bob said.
Don was a cemetery trust member, a life member of bowling club and was also a Citizen of the Year, not only for the town of Rochester, but also the shire.
His daughter, Hannah, also won that award for her voluntary work. For two decades she ran a charity lolly trolley and was a long-time volunteer for the St Joseph’s school.
Bruce recalled Don being involved in many community groups, but not just as a community member.
“When he was on a committee, he was really on it, he would be secretary or an office bearer of some sort. He wasn’t one to sit back,” Bruce said.
Don was secretary of the golf course, was a justice of the peace and a member of Rochester’s Uniting Church.