VALE MAURICE FORSTER

Maurice was another one of the quiet gentlemen of our Club. He was described during the eulogy at his funeral  as a loving, kind, tender and positive man who was always willing to lend a helping hand.

He joined DBC in 1996 on his retirement, but before this time he had experienced a very interesting and different life to many Australians.

He was born in Colombo Ceylon in 1935 and was only nine years old when his policeman Father was killed whilst on duty. His Mother then had to train as a nurse and work to support the small family.

Maurice attended St Peters College in Colombo and on leaving school he became a Creeper which is a trainee estate manager on a James Finlay tea plantation.  It was a hard lonely life living by himself in a very basic small hut in the centre of the plantation far far away from family and friends.

When he was courting his wife Pam ( she was an obsession it was said) he would ride his motorcycle for hours and miles along muddy steep roads on his occasional day off just to visit her for an hour or two. By the time they were married in 1959  Maurice was the manager of the plantation who was respected by his employees. They had a house and servants.

Life took an enormous turn when the family came to Australia in 1971. This was the during the period of Independence. Maurice had to retrain. He worked at the Repatriation Hospital in Heidelberg eventually rising  to become the Assistant Director of Finance. Both he and Pam became Australian citizens just one year after arriving as migrants. Maurice was also a Justice of the Peace for 25 years.

As written above he joined Doncaster Bowls Club in 1996 but resigned due to ill health in 2020. He served on the Selection Committee for two years, and was a member of the Thursday night meals team for three years. He was also Runner-up in the Presidents Handicap in 1998-1999.

As a retired couple he and Pam travelled overseas as well as their annual caravan trip to Queensland  especially to see their family.

On one such trip Maurice was fishing in a tinny with three others up near the Tiwi Islands.
The boat was in danger of  capsizing. Four men,  three life jackets! Not the best situation. Maurice honestly reasoned, “ I have had a good life, so you three use the jackets.”  This was always his attitude one of the other fishermen said afterwards. Resilient, diplomatic and showing great fortitude.

VALE TO ANOTHER FRIEND.

MAURICE FORSTER   27.08.1935 – 28.02.2023