MORE than 400 people gathered in Lockhart to remember the life of Riverina character Tom Jenkyn.
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The Lockhart Multi-Purpose Centre hosted the gathering in after he died at age 82.
Mr Jenkyn was the husband of Myra Jenkyn, father and father in-law of Kim and Wayne Godde, Wayne and Lorraine , Brendan and Beverley and Richard and Trudy.
Loved 'Tom' of Casey, Ryan, Simon, Adam, Samuel, Amelia, Aylee and Wil. Great 'Tom' of Savannah and Matilda. Loved brother of Neil (deceased) and Peter and brother in-law of the Wilson family. Fond uncle of his nieces and nephews.
In the obituary it was stated that he was born in Victoria and went to a country school called Buckrabanyule and from the age of six he drove a horse and cart to class.
Son Wayne said his Dad did well in most subjects but not so well in French. Apparently he did well enough to count to 10 and to greet the teacher in French.
As a kid he contemplated runing away to the circus because it looked fun and there were lots of animals.
Years later he would drag the kids to every circus that came around … it was joked that he was the one who enjoyed it the most.
Tom, with his parents, Bert and Myrtle, and his brothers Neil and Peter moved to “Kanangra”, Lockhart in 1950. It was during the time of the sheep and wool boom.
Tom met Myra while she was teaching at Yuluma School, they married and had four children. Kim, Wayne, Brendan and Richard.
Eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren followed.
Not long after arriving at “Kanangra”, Tom studied to become a wool classer.
In the early years he worked for local graziers and contractors including the tepot shed at The Pines.
Later in his career Tom worked for shearing contractor Pat Bourke.
The highlight of Tom’s year was working the camp out shed in Ivanhoe.
He loved the camaraderie of working with a shearing team.
“Sometimes I think Tom enjoyed droughts,” Wayne said.
Droughts gave him a reason to take his livestock on the road droving.
Occasionally he would take neighbour’s sheep or cattle with him too. Tom never travelled overseas but he and Myra enjoyed travel throughout Australia.
When Tom was 50 he climbed Uluru.
