99 not out
JACK SHARP AS A TACK
He’s 99 not out and desperately wants to crack the ton. His name is Jack Coleman, and he celebrates his 100th birthday in August.
Meanwhile his son, Port Douglas local Warren Coleman, is celebrating his 70th birthday now. So, Jack hopped on a plane in Sydney and travelled north for a family celebration. Daughters Linda (60) and Janis (72) are very proud of their brother and father and so they put their hand up to join in as well.
The Colemans have been making the most of their time up here and are checking out all the local attractions. Jack however remains the main attraction and is only months away from getting that special letter from the King.
“I’m not a royalist but we might be able to sell it on EBay,” the self-confessed scallywag told Newsport.
Jack who was born in 1923, can’t come up with an answer when asked about his secret of a long life, but we do know he loves a beer and a scotch, sometimes at the same time. Both daughters say it because he’s been pickled so much it’s preserved him.
“He was a wild man in his time” says Janis “but a great dad, always good for a laugh and we always had a happy home".
What a life
When Jack was born on August 9th, 1923, Billy Hughes was our Prime Minister, construction commenced on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, building began on the Provisional Parliament House in Canberra, a telephone link between Sydney and Brisbane was officially opened and Cairns was proclaimed a city.
“So much has happened during my life, for example at the age of nine I walked over the Sydney Harbour Bridge the day it opened on the 19 March 1932,” Jack said.
He was born in the NSW town of Bellingen, south of Coffs Harbour but the family finally moved to the Sydney inner city suburb of Stanmore where Jack still lives. A fitter and turner by trade he remembers as a kid seeing Sir Kingsford Smith fly over his house.
“They were exciting times, me and my mates' used to ride our push bikes out to the airport and watch the planes land,” he said. He lost his wife Noeline 21 years ago
“She was a very smart lady, a fantastic cook who was also an amazing dressmaker, she could look at a frock in a store and go home and whip it up in less than hour," Jack proudly states.
Four months to go
Jack still has a great head of hair and a mind like a steel trap, but there are a couple of issues that have his daughters and son concerned. ‘he’s only got one artery that’s working properly in his heart,” says Linda.
“He’s also having problems with his kidneys,” she said. Jack doesn’t seem too perturbed and is looking forward to the party.
Well Jack, come early August we hope you’re blowing out those 100 candles before you start a bushfire.
Happy birthday for August mate.
Thank you!
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