“A tremendous turnout for a real nice bloke, a really great bloke who gave so much to all of us, to sport, to the community and family, and a man of faith.”
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
That was the introduction by funeral director Tony Jones of Tobin Brothers Funerals to the final service in respect of John Edwin Voss OAM, aged 94 years, who gave so much to the community of Wahgunyah.
Mr Voss passed away on April 7. The funeral service was conducted on Monday, April 24 in a packed Wahgunyah Recreation Reserve Pavilion.
Known as ‘Vossy’ by so many admirers of all ages, the 2012-Order of Australia Medal award recipient was described in the most glowing terms, including “an icon of the local area”, “an inspiration”, “a legend”, “a champion”, “fantastic for our community”, “meticulous with notes” and “our Bradman”.
The eulogy was delivered by son Robert. John was born at the Corowa Hospital on December 22, 1928, the eldest son of Ferdi and Eva Voss. His brother James (dec) followed. The family lived in Burrumbuttock township and later moved to North Burrumbuttock to John’s grandfather’s farm and this is where he was educated during his primary school years. John and James would ride 4-5 miles to school each day on an old gravel road. John moved to Corowa to complete his secondary schooling, boarding at his Aunty May’s.
2013, when John Voss OAM was honoured at Corowa Golf Club with a tribute named in his honour.
After leaving school, following his Intermediate Certificate, he went to work at R.W.E. Fraser’s Garage, with a variety of jobs in between, before retiring from Corowa Plumbing in 1994.
John met Mona Allan around the end of 1945. He “strained the relationship a few times by staying out with the boys after footy and leaving her stranded at the movies”! However, Mona was very forgiving and they married on November 17, 1951 with Robert born in 1956 and Gary in 1958.
On his retirement, John and Mona were looking forward to some time together but fate stepped in when Mona was diagnosed with cancer, passing away on March 24, 1995.
John prepared well for his advancing years and made the difficult decision to sell his beloved house at 55 Elizabeth Street Wahgunyah and move to a purpose built flat at Robert and Tricia’s home in Wangaratta where he has spent the last six years. He continued his many activities in Wahgunyah though with frequent trips back for footy, tennis, meetings and seeing friends. Even when his mobility restricted his travels, John continued his interest in and love of Wahgunyah.
In his playing days for the Wahgunyah Football Club where John Voss played 375 games, won nine best and fairest awards, six league medals, five premierships and served eight years as coach.
Photo by
Corowa Journalist
“When I think about football, my time with the game probably really began in 1947 when Ray Cavanagh asked me to come to Wahgunyah who were about to reform after a seven-year break which included the war years,” John said in recent times.
“In 1947 Wahgunyah played in Coreen & District League , their home ground near the local tip. There were no showers, and most clubs travelled in a truck or bus. In 1948 I played in a Wahgunyah knock-out at Walla and we were defeated narrowly by North Albury who won the Ovens and Murray premiership that year and we also won the premiership in the C & D League.
“The club moved down to the Wahgunyah Recreation Reserve and Cliff Coghill and Co brought an old tram where we could change into our gear. The ground was where the speedway is now. Horse stables and the shed were used as change-rooms and we walked across to the ground. A tin shed was built roughly where the new change-rooms (2004) are. Water was pumped by hand out of the creek to fill supply tanks for cold and hot water. The club moved to the present ground in 1956.
“I played for the next 24 years during which time I coached Wahgunyah for eight years and played with Corowa for 3 years (1958-60) where I won their senior best and fairest in 1959.
“I was also a bike rider in the Corowa Club for many years with a lot of success. I played tennis at Carlyle first when I was courting Mona, then after we married, I played with Wahgunyah from approximately 1953. I won many cycle championships, club level on track ½ mile, 1 mile and scratch races as well as road races, 5 mile, 10mile.
“The Rutherglen Shire Representatives chosen to be the 1956 Olympic Torch runners were myself, Ken Jasper, Ken Eales and Peter Smith an emergency. I remember passing on the ‘Flame’ to Ken Jasper (now our local MP).”
John’s many sporting and community achievements over the years have been marked by awards and recognition: a bridge, a plaque and a scoreboard. However, his biggest thrill in more recent years was following the lives of his boys and his grandchildren, Jarrod, Sam and Laura, Thomas, Anthony and Gabrielle (pall bearers on Monday) and their partners and great grandchildren.
Two weeks before his passing John was enjoying the music and laughter at Anthony’s wedding and he was looking forward to someone taking him to Wahgunyah to watch the football this year.
On their wedding day, John and Mona Voss.
Photo by
Corowa Journalist
Wahgunyah Football Netball Club President Daryl Hore described Mr Voss as “a legend, not only at the football club but at the tennis club and the community”. “It’s the history that we’ve lost, the history he had was amazing. He used to pull up in his little white car beside the coach’s box, you’d always get a ‘goodaye’ out of him, he never had a negative word about anyone, always found a positive and his message of encouragement just seemed to come at the right time.”
Club Life Member and neighbour Steve Grantham described John’s record as “almost beyond belief”. “That’s why we call him ‘our Bradman’.
Wahgunyah Tennis Club President Sandra Johnstone said the tennis club is John’s legacy. “It’s a special day, a special tribute to a wonderful man,” she said on Monday before the 11.00am funeral,” she said.
“He was instrumental in everything the club did, since 1954 occupying all the key positions, president, secretary, treasurer over the years. He was just an inspiration.”
Sandra said John was still actively involved and driving over from Wangaratta to see the juniors play, have a cuppa then drive around the various venue to watch the seniors play. “John was a great tennis player, a great person,” she said.
Local tennis identity Craig Spencer spoke in detail of John’s incredible movement and ability on the court, beating the best local area talent, and his contribution on the administrative side of running a club and an association. “He was fantastic for the community,” Craig said.
John’s excellent, impeccable character was conveyed by the young and not-so-young. In 2014, a then 11-year-old year six student Zali Spencer gave a talk to the Corowa Lions Club about a person she admired, and to whom she described as “an icon of our local area”, a three-time “Life Member of Wahgunyah Football Netball Club, Wahgunyah Tennis Club and the North-East Tennis Association” and in 2012 was awarded an OAM”.
Wahgunyah’s Recreation Reserve Committee’s Wes Canny took over the secretary/treasurer’s role from “Vossy”. “He was meticulous with words and had all the information,” Wes said. “He will leave a lasting legacy of Wahgunyah Recreation Reserve.”
After the service, the cortege proceeded to the Carlyle Lawn Cemetery for the committal service. Then it was back to Wahgunyah Recreation Reserve Pavilion to admire the extended photo tribute, ‘Vossy’s memorabilia and recalling so many fond memories of the star of the show.
26°C