Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Big Neal, you were part of our Carole Ave family. In the early years you were away at sea but I always remember you larger than life at our street gatherings - the bonfires at Hills, the bbq's at Hurps and of course the hungees at your place when you dug out the pit to cook meat to feed us.
Your big cheeky grin and wild, joking, sense of humour always had us laughing and in awe when you played the lagerphone or made jokes about the loss of your finger.
You never pulled any punches and called a spade a spade. I can still hear Jo pleading with you, "Oh Neal!!!!"
Your "mancave" under the house in Carole Ave with the animal skins on the floor and the guns locked away fascinated us as small kids.
And then you bought the land down at Old Erowal Bay and our family would drive down and camp in our car for weekends in this isolated bushland with only a pit toilet, where you'd be in your element sitting around the campfire telling stories.
I also remember the time you took Kate and I to work with you at Parramatta Pyschiatric Hospital so we could swim in the pool.
May you rest in peace Neal, I know your spirit will be out on the Nullabor four wheel driving across the dusty desert.
Love to Jo, Susan, Kate, Little Neal, Peter and all your families.
