By Jenel Hunt
Stanthorpe man Ray Thorn loves golf but he says his handicap is terrible. That may be about to change.
After an involvement with Walls Concrete in Stanthorpe spanning 30 years, Ray is changing his morning routine from work to leisure. The sands of time might have have run through for his days as manager of the concrete plant, but Ray says there’ll be more time for family, golf and travelling.
And even though his days involved with gravel, cement and sand might be past, he will likely still have a nodding acquaintanceship with sand. All the same, he’s hoping not to spend too much of his time in the bunkers, if his game improves as much as he expects.
Ray started in the concrete game when he was 19 or 20 working for his wife’s family, the Eldridges. He worked there for a number of years before the business was sold and he moved on to driving trucks.
In 1990 he built the plant for CSR Readymix and after five years they sold all their plants on the Downs and the Wall family of Warwick bought it.
“Bob asked me, ‘If I buy it, will you manage it?’
“I said to my wife, I’ll give it a month.
“Well, that was the longest month I’ve ever put in – 28 years!”
He said he had always had a good relationship with his customers and had loved working for the Wall family, who also have quarries and a landscaping supplies business.
“The family has been great. I’ve seen their kids grow up. It’s the sort of family I’d work for again if I was a young man.”
Ray said he had considered retiring in 2020 but after his wife passed away he thought he’d ‘stick it out a bit longer’.
Now 72, his time to relax has finally arrived.
“I don’t know how long it will be before I get bored. But I do have plans. I want to spend more time with my daughter, son-in-law and two grandkids. And I have a beautiful caravan so I’ll do more travelling with that. Go up north this year, do a road trip to Tassie in January, might go to Western Australia next winter.”
A farewell event was held for Ray at Balancing Heart Vineyard. He said it was a great to see all the staff, some of the past staff and some of his family including his grandchildren who came home from Brisbane for the event.
His goodbye gift was a ‘beautiful TV’. It doesn’t sound like he’ll be glued to it, though. He’s getting out onto the golf course as often as he can to improve his handicap.
“I’m playing shocking golf. That can only get better. Can’t it?”
