Trevor Picker AM always brought kindness and light to those around him and on Friday as family and friends gathered to remember his life, the sun shone over Bigga.
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One of Mr Picker's granddaughters remarked that it was 'pop' who had brought the sun out.
The brightness was fitting for the leader of Australia's superfine wool industry, who died on June 7 in a multi-vehicle car crash after visiting his wife Janet in an aged care home in Crookwell. He was just shy of his 91st birthday.
Mr Picker's eldest son Danny said his father's last words were ones of gratitude to those trying to help him.
"That showed the type of person he was," Danny said.
"Dad didn't have an enemy in the world. He was a very humble man who never mentioned his achievements until the last few years when his stories started to flow fairly wildly with some extra achievements that would make us all laugh."
Hundreds attended Mr Picker's service led by The Reverend Sally Cullen at All Saints Anglican Church. His nearest and dearest filled the church, while a large crowd listened from outside.
Locals noted that it was one of the best-attended funerals in the village and that there were more people at Mr Picker's remembrance that evening at Bigga Golf Club than when the club opened.
Bigga's rolling hills dotted with sheep provided a fitting backdrop to the service.
"Dad was always a sheep man," Danny said.
Trevor was born in Crookwell on July 20, 1928, to Sam and Edith Picker. He had an older sister, Molly, who is deceased.
He is survived by his wife Janet Picker; four sons Danny, Murray, Grant and Brett; half-brother Stephen; 14 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren and still counting.
The four brothers were the pallbearers at the service and carried the coffin out to Abide With Me by Susan Boyle.
The family said Mr Picker would always be remembered by them as a legend of the wool game, a passionate fisherman, a Manly Sea Eagles fan and a beloved husband, dad, pop and pop-pop.
He was raised and spent all of his life at his family's property, Hillcrest at Bigga.
"Dad was a very proud independent man until the very end," Danny said.
"He would always visit Mum in the last few years at least twice a week, but always said he didn't want to live in a nursing home."
At a very young age, Mr Picker took over the classing and selection of the sheep on the farm from his father, Sam.
"Dad had very little schooling and started working when he was 14 years old," Danny said.
His father remained dedicated to producing superfine wool and was credited with putting the region's wool industry on the map.
He is also widely remembered for record prices from classing superfine clips around Bigga.
Mr Picker's top price of 1800 pence a pound in 1964 was a world record. He had classed and prepared the wool for that sale with his father, Sam.
Mr Picker generously shared his knowledge with others in the wool industry and often gave his rams away to assist with their flocks.
"In the late '80s he donated a ram to the Mudgee Superfine Wool Growers Association, which was raffled and made the branch viable to continue to this day," Danny said.
He was appointed to the Order of Australia (AM) in 1988 for his distinguished service to the superfine wool industry.
"He was always very proud to wear his AM lapel badge when the occasion rose," Danny said.
Mr Picker also passed his knowledge of the wool industry down to his four sons.
When they left school, they were put through an apprenticeship, firstly learning how to muster and drench before moving into the shearing shed where they mastered the wool presser, the job of a roustabout, piece-picker and how to skirt a fleece.
"Then classing, that was a different game; Dad's way or the highway," Danny joked.
Mr Picker was also a keen sportsman. He was a budding fullback until he was struck down with polio in his late teens, which shortened one of his legs.
At about the age of 22, he suffered pneumonia but it was somewhat of a fortunate misfortune.
It was the young Janet Hope Howard who was tasked with looking after him. She took him home with her and nursed him for three weeks back to full health.
"Dad and Mum were married on June 3, 1954, and lived with Mum's mother, Doris, at Linton in Bigga until they built our family home a little later," Danny said.
Perhaps it was those early days of Janet nursing Trevor that led to his belief that they knew better than any medical professional.
"A self-acclaimed doctor, he would try to prescribe his and Mum's medicines to the very end," Danny said.
Mr Picker was a keen sportsman and fisherman and would take the family out of town on a fishing trip every year.
The biggest fish he ever caught was a 121-pound Murray cod at Burrinjuck Dam.
He was president of Bigga Fishing Club and one of the chief instigators of netting Murray cod and silver perch at Burrinjuck and Burrendong Dams. He also brought those fish back to stock Wyangala Dam.
The family bought a holiday house in Batemans Bay in 1974 and created many fun memories during their visits there.
"I remember Dad telling me home brew won't affect you as he took four steps forward and three back!" Danny said.
"We had numerous fishing trips to the flat head grounds with some quite large hauls."
Trevor was also captain of the local bush fire brigade.
"Dad's motto was simply put it out as quickly as possible," Danny said.
Trevor helped to run the Bigga Bears during the '70s and '80s, proudly watching his sons and grandsons play.
"He always told me of his grandchildren's achievements in hockey, football, shearing and harness racing," Danny said.
Trevor was also undertaker of the Bigga district and caretaker of the local cemetery, where his body rests now.
"We miss you deeply, so please rest in peace until we meet again on that riverbank in the sky," Danny concluded.
Former Goulburn wool seller Ray Moroney was among the crowd at Mr Picker's funeral and said: "It was as lovely as a funeral could be."
"He was a lovely bloke and this service showed that," he said.
Former Australian Wool Innovation chairman and current board member, Wal Merriman, knew Mr Picker all of his life.
Mr Merriman described Trevor as a "good bloke" and "a dallion among the ultra-fine breeding community."
"We were competitors in the show ring but we always went and had a beer afterwards," he said.
"I hadn't seen much of Trevor in the past few years, but every time I did he always had time for you."
- The Post appreciates the family's support and assistance with this story.
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