John Williams is be remembered for his outstanding work associated with Rutherglen Show.
A very large crowd turned out to farewell Rutherglen identity, farmer John Williams who will be remembered for his outstanding work associated with Rutherglen Show, being an inventor and possessing cowboy traits.
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The funeral service was conducted by Reverend Graeme Wells of St Andrew’s Uniting Church, Rutherglen on Thursday, October 3.
Mr Williams, aged 81, passed away on Sunday, September 29. The eulogy was delivered by close friend Tony Jones of Tobin Brothers Funerals Corowa and Rutherglen.
John Henry Williams was born in Rutherglen on June 17, 1943 the fourth child of Angus and Mary Williams, and youngest brother to Geoff, Nancy and Marie.
John grew up on the family farm at Brimin and attended primary school up the road at Dugay’s Bridge. High school took him to Albury Grammer.
In true cowboy fashion, John always had his rope, rifle and pocket knife with him.
John always had an obsession with Westerns. He saw a movie with John Wayne leaning on a door with a rock tied to a piece of string and was casually flicking a knot into the string.
John practised this trick until he perfected it and took this skill to boarding school. This resulted in a craze with dozens of boys standing around also trying to perfect the trick.
One of his childhood memories was going to live bird shoots with his father on the weekends, where he would spend the day loading the birds into the traps.
After Albury Grammar John came home to the family farm in 1960 to join his father and brother Geoff.
John married Heather on March 20, 1971. He and Heather renovated the cottage on the family farm and made their home there where they had five children, Rick, Michele, Tricia, Christine and Kent.
The condition of the cottage before they renovated it was such that even John said he was surprised Heather did not move straight back to Corowa!
John continued to farm with Geoff until the mid-1980s when Geoff and John decided to farm separately.
John continued with mixed farming of grain, sheep and cattle.
At the time they were running shorthorn cattle, and there were many stories told by him and the nieces and nephews about how wild they were after their annual stint in the river flats.
He changed over to Hereford cattle and took great pride in producing some impressive vealers and bullocks.
John was a very active member of the Rutherglen Agricultural Society his entire adult life, and from 1973 to 1988 he was the president.
In true cowboy fashion, John always had his rope, rifle and pocket knife with him. He had a great passion for horses, horsemanship and roping.
John’s other passion was inventing and making back saving gadgets and all other things from metal.
In 2019 John had a near fatal heart attack which saw him flown by helicopter to Melbourne, his heart was significantly damaged when he had a second heart attack while waiting for an operating theatre. Not letting that slow him down he continued to do the things he enjoyed, farming, horse riding and tractor club.
In April this year, John contracted Covid and a follow-up cold in July, leaving him with a persistent and lingering cough. This led to further tests and a final diagnosis of lung and bone cancer only 10 days before he passed away at home.
Mr Jones said the Rutherglen Show was John Williams. “If there is anyone who deserves something said it is John, former president, chief organiser, amazing inventor, problem solver and always the go-to man for everything,” Mr Jones said.
Following the committal service at the Carlyle Monumental Cemetery, mourners shared refreshments and fond memories of John at Club Corowa, Betterment Parade, Corowa.
