Port Macquarie lost one of its great citizens and loveable characters with the passing of Albert (Mate) McWhirter, on Wednesday September 5.
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He was aged 84 years.
He considered everyone a friend and gave a little bit of himself to everyone he met.
His generosity and willingness to help others stood out throughout his life.
Born in Port Macquarie on December 13, 1933 to Bertie and Evelyn McWhirter, Mate had four brothers and two sisters. He is survived by his brother Ken.
He was christened Albert but in the finest of Port Macquarie-Hastings traditions, it wasn't long before he got landed with a nickname.
His Uncle Ken Dick - better known as Uncle Bucket - often used the greeting, ‘G’day mate, how’s your date’ to one and all, but, it seemed to stick with Albert and pretty soon after he was to be known as Mate, for the rest of his life.
More people throughout his life knew him as Mate than Albert.
Mate had a chequered school life and didn’t quite get along with some of his teachers and subsequently completed his Intermediate Certificate at Kempsey High School.
When it came time to leave school and find employment he went to Sydney and completed an apprenticeship with the PMG and became a motor mechanic, which was the trade that carried him through his entire life.
In 1957, having returned to Port Macquarie, Mate along with and his best friend, Bob Graham were invited along to a meeting, with a view to forming a fire brigade in Port Macquarie,
A brigade was subsequently formed with Bob and Mate in the mix and thus brought about his love for and a life long association with NSWFB, (now Fire & Rescue NSW) an organisation he affectionately called a big family.
Whilst in Sydney he met the love of his life Marion Mae. They fell in love and married in 1958 and Marion moved to Port Macquarie to be with Mate to start their life and family together.
Mate started working at the family garage, McWhirter’s Motors, and eventually ended up owning and running it until his retirement in 1984.
Along came their first child Karen Patrice, followed soon after by Michelle Claire (dec) and then a few years later Steven Charles and then Christine Anne (dec) completing the family.
Mate was involved in almost everything fire brigade in Port Macquarie, including raffles to raise funds, participating in parades and charity efforts, as well as competing in and generally being involved with, fire demonstrations, all over the state, now called Fire Championships.
Mate was made an honorary member of the Fire Championships Association in 2012
He was known as a bloke that would help anyone with anything. He would stop to help stranded people on the side of the road, he let strangers camp in his shed one night when they were down on their luck, always doing odd jobs for anyone that needed, often for nothing, but for a handshake and a smile.
Mate loved the water and fishing, and picked up a style of fishing from his father. Unfortunately this 'style' of fishing brought about the unwanted attention of the authorities, but he managed to outsmart them at every turn, his son Steven said.
"But he managed to feed us with plenty of fish, and also to give away heaps to family and friends over the years," he added.
Mate owned the first crane in Port Macquarie as well as a blitz fork lift truck with which he did a lot of work around town with and drove that crane far and wide for jobs.
In 1981 Marion suddenly died leaving Mate to manage on his own with two kids still at home.
Mate married Shirley Smith and then divorced in 2017, after having had a stroke prior and being left wheelchair bound and in a nursing home, where he saw out his remaining days comfortably with the support of his family and friends.
In his retirement Mate loved to be in his shed drinking cups of tea with friends that would visit, looking after his fire engine that he had restored with the help of some close friends, restoring a Riley Motor Vehicle and forming the better part of a fire museum for the enjoyment of all.
He was instrumental in a push to save the original Port Macquarie fire station as a museum, which didn’t eventuate due to various reasons, much to his dismay.
He also understood that it was a state government decision regarding that property.
"We would like to acknowledge the staff at Bethany Nursing Home for their care and consideration of Mate during his stay there," Steven said.
"I think Mate would have been very overwhelmed and humbled by your turn out today.
"With Mate it was never really goodbye, but he loved the sayings, ‘see you later when your legs are straighter’ or ‘in a while crocodile’
"Dad you will be greatly missed."