Despite Jim Maple-Brown's enormous influence on the Australian wool industry, his greatest achievement was something quite different, according to his son Richard.
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"The great feature of his life was a long and very happy marriage to my mother Pamela," said Richard.
Jim Maple-Brown passed away on Sunday, March 10, after a short illness.
He was 95.
He was married to Pamela, 93, for over 72 years.
He was considered a giant in the Goulburn district wool industry and was very well known as an innovator in his field.
His family property, 'Springfield,' is one of the most celebrated and important farms in NSW, occupied by the Faithfull and Maple-Brown family since 1828.
"He had a great life," said Richard.
"He lived to be 95, and really was only sick a bit toward the end - his health was good all the way through the rest of his life.
"And he was able to pursue his passion through his life, which was to reform wool industry."
James Irwin Faithfull Maple-Brown began his life at a Lake Bathurst property called Font Hill, and his family re-located to Springfield soon after World War II.
He didn't move again until 2008, when he and Pamela moved into Goulburn.
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His achievements in the wool industry often overshadowed other aspects of his life, according to Richard.
"He was a bit of an inventor very early on," he said.
"He designed a self-propelled irrigator well before they were commercially available in the 1950s.
"He was a very good father and certainly made life easy for his children."
Jim Maple-Brown was a highly rated polo player in his youth, and his interest in sport continued, keeping him on the golf course until the age of 90.
Apart from industry and business commitments, he became increasingly involved in Goulburn community groups, especially following his move into town.
"He was a man ahead of his time, with a great ability to think ahead," said.
"And once he saw the way ahead, he was very single minded in pursuing it."
A private service was held on Thursday at Craig's Hill Crematorium Chapel, which - due to COVID-19 restrictions - included a video link to allow grandchildren, great-grandchildren and overseas relatives to be involved.
"We do plan to hold a memorial service when people are able get together," said Richard.
Jim Maple-Brown is survived by his wife Pamela and children, Sue, Richard, Doats and Sarah, 11 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
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