Colin "Col" Thomas Say, an agent, farmer and family man from Glen Innes, has died aged 90.
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He was the former owner and founder of renowned stock and station agency, Colin Say and Co, after having purchased the business from Keith Biddle in about 1958.
However, Col was born at Emmaville in 1933, and grew up on the family farm, "Deloraine".
It wasn't without it's struggles though, his father having died when Col was just 9, and by 14 and a half, Col would leave school to work on the farm, as well at jobs like droving and drenching.
In 1956, at 22, he would marry Nellmary (nee Scherf) and just a year - with eldest son Stephen already born - they bought 1000 acres in the area where Copteon Dam is now located, beginning his career a grazier.
Just fourteen months later, when Nellmary was in hospital ready to give birth to their second son, Martin, Col would announce that he'd purchased the agency in Glen Innes.
His fourth child and third son, Andrew, said what he liked about Mr Biddle's agency was it came with a Farmers and Graziers contact list of local wool producers, which made it a little easier to get started.
The only collateral he had for the loan was his Massey Ferguson tractor, but with a bit wit, he also kicked off a travelling merchandise segment to his business, which gave him a reason to pull up a few driveways and meet a few farmers.
Through the years he would also develop a good cattle business, including being key in kicking off the local weaner sales, and would also eventually be invited by Dalgety's to join that company's breeder sales.
Along the way, in 1967, he and Nellmary bought the 32 hectare "Orana" not far out of town, with which they also bought the existing registered flock of Poll Dorsets.
Col had a greater purpose in mind here, it seemed, with his in-laws having also retired from their farm into Glen Innes.
His father in law, Grenville Scherf, had run a Merino stud, and so the newly acquired Poll Dorsets would also become an ongoing interest for him.
Col's thinking though was also that if you had high quality country, you should have high quality stock, hence the formation of the Yasloc Poll Dorset stud - which is still going to this day.
He and Grenville also did relatively well at the shows in what had become a mutually beneficial partnership, Col's son Andrew said.
In 1973, after 16 years of running the agency, Col sold Colin Say and Co, and bought another farm, "Euroa", on the Gwydir Highway, west of Glen Innes.
He and Nellmary continued to live on "Orana" until 1984-85, when they sold that, too, moving onto "Euroa" where they have remained.
They would also buy back a portion of his family's "Deloraine", which they would call "Cooinda", where he grew up and worked all those years before.
His funeral service will be held at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Glen Innes, from 11am, Monday, June 17, followed by "private" interment at the Glen Innes Cemetery.
Col is remembered by his wife, Nellmary, children, Stephen (deceased), Martin, Marianne and Andrew, and his seven grandchildren and five great-grand children - with another due in September.
