Remembering Greg

Greg Wiliams Eulogy – Vince McMahon – 23 March 2011

“I would first like to extend my sympathies, on behalf of the Canberra Rowing Community to Doug, Gerry and Joanna and to family and friends.

Rowing was a major part of Greg’s life and, for many of us, it was the only context in which we knew him.

Greg appears to have started rowing with the ANU.  Nick Hunter, the President of the ANU Boat Club, remembers Greg as an active sculler throughout the 1980’s and early 1990’s.  Nick said he was well liked because of his passion for the sport, his friendly manner and his commitment to the Club.  He contributed a lot to ANU, especially through coaching and mentoring of ANU students new to the sport.   Nick said he was also remembered as an excellent handyman, having worked extensively around the shed.  Greg led the redevelopment of the Sullivan’s Creek landing in the early 1990’s, doing the lion’s share of the labour himself. The landing has been used daily over the last 20 years with minimal maintenance requirements, a testament to the quality of Greg’s work.

Clearly Greg never forgot his time at the ANU because he donated in 2009 his set of old timber sculling oars to the ANU Boat Club.

David Bagnall, who has had a close association with both ANU and Black Mountain, told me that Greg’s irritation with zealous parking inspectors at the ANU was the catalyst for Greg’s switch to Black Mountain.  It is not often that you are indebted to parking inspectors.

Greg similarly has been a pillar of the Black Mountain Rowing Club.  He believed in the club’s community obligations and contributed to the Club’s own sense of community by actively participating in its activities and social functions. I always found Greg to be sincere, friendly and down to earth.

In saying hello to him in the morning, he would look at you in the eyes, shift his weight, and then come back with a hello and often with an observation that took you by surprise.  He had that very country manner of coming to an acute point by taking the longest possible route.  His emails were often underpinned by clever turns of phrase.  He took even the most casual request for advice seriously and would respond in considered terms, sometimes many days later and, sometimes, after the person had forgotten the request.

While he mastered emails, he did not similarly take to his mobile.  Judith Abercromby, who took over from Greg as the learn-to-row coordinator, tells me he was known to send text messages out of the blue, with no introduction and no signoff.  When she once replied asking ‘who is this?’ he responded, ‘mystery man’.

And there was a little bit of mystery with Greg.  I think we are only now realising how private a person he was.  He had that slightly deflective quality where you ended up answering personal questions you had just put to him.

Greg was very considerate and caring of others.  Perhaps no wonder as the name Gregory has Greek roots meaning ‘watchful’ and, in Roman times, the name became strongly associated with the role of a ‘shepherd’.

Many of you will know of his carer role for his parents which, at times, weighed heavily on him.  More recently he would leave rowing smartly because he wanted to return to the dog he was minding.

He shepherded countless learn-to-rowers through the Club.  Not only did he coordinate learn-to-row for a number of years – and the photo you see on program is one of our former Presidents, Peter Wright, presenting a medallion in recognition of this work – but he was often seen helping rowers to make the transition to independent rowing status.

More than one of us ribbed him that the transition rowers he was helping were nearly always female.  Greg would answer, eloquently, just with an enigmatic smile.

Greg sometimes remarked that once he managed to get new rowers balanced and confident, they would move onto greener pastures, just as he was starting to reap the rewards of his work.  He treated this as another opportunity to skill the next person in need.

One of my enduring memories of Greg was when he was in gladiatorial mode for capsize-drills.  With a determined face, outfitted in a protective skivvy, with new rowers lining the banks, he would roll his single in the water and show the recovery procedure to the then, growingly apprehensive, learners – their turn was next.  The capsize drill takes skill, strength and a measure of pain tolerance as ribs and the sides of boats don’t tend to mix well.    Many experienced rowers cannot execute this manoeuvre.

Mary Quilty, another member who worked with Greg on the learn to row program, observed that he always was paying attention to detail. He used, for many years, an oar set up on a workhorse to introduce rowers to proper stroking technique.    Some learners were sorry that they did not pay more attention when they were finally seated in a seemingly unstable boat.  He would tell beginners that the boat was worth several hundred dollars but their glasses were worth many hundreds, so ‘make sure they don’t come off’.   Greg was always thinking of others.

Greg.  That is all for now.  We will remember your wry smile, your deliberate manner, your gentleness, your consideration and your sense of community.

Greg.  Happy rowing – may you rest in peace.

Vincent McMahon
President
Black Mountain Rowing Club

23 March 2011″