Jon Coleman answered to many names, but behind every one was the same remarkable man: he was kind, caring, hardworking, loyal and blessed with a wicked sense of humour.
Born in Bacchus Marsh on October 1, 1938, to Alex and Florence Coleman, Jon grew up with brothers Ron, Ken and Doug.
Remarkably, Jon was also a twin. His twin brother was born sleeping at six months, with Jon arriving three months later, much to his parents’ surprise.
With Alex working as a railway station master, the family moved regularly.
It was in Dookie that Jon’s sporting talent began to shine. Brother Ken introduced him to tennis after their mother asked him to get Jon “out from under her feet”.
Ken hit a ball towards him, only to have it come whizzing back at “100 miles an hour”.
It was the beginning of a lifelong passion.
Jon excelled in tennis, football and athletics. He represented Victoria in schoolboys’ football, joined the Linton Cup junior tennis squad and received coaching from legendary Australian tennis coach Harry Hopman.
He also trained with Melbourne Football Club under Norm Smith in 1958 and later with Richmond.
But tennis was where Jon truly excelled, winning numerous regional, club and team titles.
Tennis also introduced Jon to the love of his life, Fay.
They met at a tournament in Rutherglen and married on Easter Saturday, April 21, 1962, celebrating an extraordinary 64 years of marriage earlier this year.
Their daughters Tracy and Fiona arrived in 1965 and 1969, and family remained at the centre of Jon’s world.
He was immensely proud of his daughters and later his three grandsons, Denzel, Fletcher and Hudson.
Jon enjoyed a 40-year career with the National Australia Bank, beginning as a 16-year-old in Casterton in 1955.
After postings across Victoria, he arrived in Yarrawonga, becoming bank manager in 1977 and remaining there until his retirement in 1994.
Jon genuinely believed in people; he helped families buy their first homes, supported people in business and mentored generations of staff.
Retirement allowed Jon to return wholeheartedly to tennis, becoming an accredited Level 2 coach and these were some of the happiest years of his life.
It has been said that in Yarrawonga, you were either coached by Jon Coleman, given your first home or business loan by him, or both.
Away from tennis and banking, Jon loved golf, dogs, chocolate, Christmas, music and his beloved Essendon Bombers.
He was famously organised, with everything having its place, preferably alphabetically. His family joked that if they stood still long enough, Dad might file them away too.
He also loved a joke so much that the family discovered four carefully organised volumes containing every joke he had been sent.
Over his final years, Jon’s health declined and he and Fay eventually moved into Karana, where they received wonderful care.
After another fall and a broken hip, Jon passed away on August 19.
His family will miss his advice, football discussions, stories, laughter and even the requests to fix his iPad, check his credit card or pay a bill.
But most of all, they will simply miss Jon.
A devoted husband, Dad and Pop, a coach, banker, mentor and friend whose belief in people touched generations.
His was truly a life well played.
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