FLEMING, John Stuart
Due to COVID-19 Restrictions a private cremation will take place, after which John’s ashes will be laid to rest at a family memorial service at Pine Lodge Cemetery, Shepparton.
Friday the 10th of July at 7pm we lost our Dad and Pop John Stuart Fleming, he passed away age 72 at the Wodonga Hospital.
John was born to Helena May (nee Bolt, of Jeparit) and Charles Robertson Gordon Fleming (of Creswick) He was the fourth of eight children Rosemary, Robert (Bob), Elizabeth, John, Phillip (dec), Peter, Lynne (dec) and Bruce.
John’s father Charles, better known as ‘Chas’ was a forestry officer and the family lived between Numurkah, Rushworth and Creswick moving frequently with the job. John had fond memories of growing up in the country, and often reminisced about cooking fish and chips in a take away shop in Rushworth. He moved to Creswick in his teen years to attend High School and lived with his Nana.
John attended Teachers college in Bendigo on a scholarship. Around this time, he met Maureen who was nursing, and they married in 1970 living in Shepparton. Darrell May was soon born and they moved to Murrayville for a teaching position. It was there they welcomed Jacqueline Sheree in 1973. Another move to North East Victoria and Debbie Michele completed their family in 1975.
John and his younger brother Phillip were always known to be scallywags and if there was trouble it was likely they were both involved. Phil was John’s best man at his wedding and they were still creating havoc wherever they went. In 1971 Phil was tragically killed while on duty in his role as a Police Officer in Melbourne and John, and his whole family’s world came crashing down as they lost a beloved brother and son. Helena passed in 1975 and Chas soon after in 1979. It was a time of great sadness for the family, Bruce lived with John and Maureen until he turned 18.
John took a teaching job at Wodonga Primary School, No. 37 which spanned over 27 years. He had a seasonal side business of selling fruit and veggies, and mostly watermelons, from a truck. It’s said that the girls would often go with him and eat more Melons than they could carry.
John was a teacher dedicated to No. 37 for the nine years I was at the school and was a staff member for nearly 30 years. He contributed in many ways to the school and over the years was involved in various roles. He was a traditional classroom teacher and taught mainly in the senior classes and was respected by his students. He was an outstanding organiser and his involvement in sporting programs was his forte.
He championed interschool sport and served on almost every committee over the years. He served on School Council and took on various executive roles. He was very much a hands-on person when it came to ground markings, program organisation and promotion of sport. His involvement in school fetes and fund-raising activities was outstanding. From time to time he gave attention to individual pupils who had special needs and his help extended beyond the school to homes and families of many.
A true-blue dedicated Wodonga Primary School faithful. Bill Proud, retired Principal WPS
John always had one or more four legged animals, Tiger, Killer, Suzi-Belle, Ally Cat, Anastasia, PC (pussycat), Mother Cat, Rosie and Bailey. He ‘happily’ dog sat the kids’ dog’s Cade, Henry, Fletch, Samson and Samantha, and a rabbit Molly. When a trained Rainbow lorikeet landed at Clover and no one claimed it, he kept it and named it Roy G Biv, and when the kids were young he had a Budgie named Blue Hills. When John said he was going to ‘see a man about a dog’ he often did actually come back with a dog! There was a lot of room in his heart for the pets and he often had an uncanny intuition about them.
When he was told he was going to be a grandfather, he stubbornly said ‘oh I’ll just be ‘John’… no grandpa here’ when he saw his first grandchild Georgia, he softened and instantly became ‘Poppy John’ later being shortened to Pop. He loved his 5 grand daughters Georgia, Rebecca, Jessica, Sarah and Alice and they became the apple of his eye. His generosity and love was shown through spoiling the kids with an abundance of any sweet treat they liked (and many he wanted them to like), and the girls knew every park and ice cream shop because of Pop and Gran’s adventures they always took them on. He celebrated milestones on the height wall and birthdays with gusto and always called even when they had moved away. Only 6 weeks after losing Maureen he travelled to Horsham to see Georgia marry her beau, Jamie Thomas.
Life is not without its challenges, and sadly John did not escape them. He suffered with undiagnosed depression from losing his dear brother and parents young, and alcohol abuse which shaped his life. Unfortunately, most people he loved also carry some scars.
The last week and a half of his life was managed so well by Albury Wodonga health, amidst the current pandemic. Applause goes out to both campuses, and the team who supported and cared for him. They were Albury ICU, Albury Medical ward, Wodonga Rehab ward, Palliative Care team, and the social workers at both hospitals. The exceptional members of the Albury Wodonga ambulance team who knew John as a ‘frequent flyer’.
Darrell and Shell made it to Wodonga just before Melbourne went into lockdown, and together with Jacqui were able to see John and spend valuable time with him prior to his passing.
In lieu of flowers we ask for donations be made to the Wodonga Bulldogs in John’s memory. ‘Back in the day’, John was a dynamic supporter of the footy club wherever he lived and he raised funds for the Doggies back in the 80’s and 90’s. He avidly followed the Western Bulldogs and enjoyed Footy tipping and ribbing anyone the Doggies won against. He loved playing sport, particularly footy and tennis, and encouraged his students to be involved in sport.
He taught Grade 5 at Wodonga Primary School (no. 37) and for a while wherever you’d go, someone would say ‘oh, Mr. Fleming taught me’ and trail off about weekly sentences, stepping stones, times-tables and spelling and how he’d helped them in some way.
‘Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite… shake a leg’
We thank Lester and Son for their care of both our parents as they have passed and are very grateful to them for their love and compassion during this time.
Darrell & Paul, Jacqueline & Kelvin, and Michele & Robyn
Jessica, Georgia, Rebecca, Sarah, Alice
Please make your memorial donation to the Wodonga Bulldogs Football & Netball Club
BSB: 013 920 Account: 470 857 973 Reference: Fleming Donation
JUL
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