​Jack Smith

​John Joseph Smith
Born 27th August 1910
In the St Arnaud Hospital
To Joe and Emma Smith

He grew up out Jeffcott way
Riding a horse to school
His dad was a farmhand
Who died about 1930

Working various unskilled jobs
He took care of his mother
They became very close
He was her only child

He enlisted to defend Australia
He travelled north to Darwin
But never overseas
Nor did he see any action

Returning to Donald
Life was back to normal
Nothing exciting ever happened
Jack blended into the crowd

The early fifties
Saw Jack working at Boldens
He met his future bride
The boss' daughter no less

At 41 he finally married
His bride was 22
Together they had three kids
The baby was dad's girl

First living in Mill St
About the time Phil was born
They bought their family home
At 21 Hammill Sreet

After 27 years a widow
Jack's mum Emma died
She was buried in Donald
They couldn't afford a stone

As time passed
Jack grew angry
He had a fierce temper
Controlled by a hair trigger

After Bert Bolden died
He worked for the shire
Jack was the garbo
Along with George Jeffries

Standing about five foot six
Always a hat on his head
Sleeves rolled up
He looked like a hard working bloke

His anger got worse
Mum receiving the most
You just never knew
When he was going to explode

He'd go and see Donald play footy
Yell and scream all day
Come home for the footy replay
Yell again at the TV

We finally got a car
A grey EK Holden
Just a few years old
The plate read HNS 277

He was a bloody awful driver
Fifty down the middle of the road
Tried to teach mum to drive
That lasted about two miles

About 1970 he went to Lakeside
Never to return home
They looked after him
The three years until he passed ​