AFTER more than five months in the making, Merrett Logging staff gave managing director Sydney “Snow Jr” Merrett the surprise of his life last week with a brand new truck dedicated to his late father Francy Alick “Snow Sr” Merrett.
Snow Sr was born on September 21, 1922, to William Walter Merrett and Flora Merrett in Kaniva with the Merretts being one of the first pioneer families of the Tatiara region.
He spent the early years of his life in the region before joining the army during World War II, after which he received government land in the Wattle Range district as part of the Soldier’s Settler’s Scheme.
Snow Sr and his wife Marie raised their eight children in the South East and he remained an active member of the agriculture and sporting communities before eventually moving to Adelaide where he passed away peacefully in April last year, aged 94.
Those who knew him described him as a hardworking, generous and caring member of the community.
As Snow Sr was a veteran, the idea of a tribute truck for the Anzacs had been something Snow Jr’s had wanted to do for a long time before his father passed away but he unfortunately never had the opportunity.
Snow Sr passed away in April last year without every witnessing an Anzac truck in the fleet but the team at Merrett Logging were in the market for a new prime mover this year and knew it was something Snow Jr had been dreaming of.
Snow Jr’s son, John “Red Dog” Merrett, said the idea was something he knew he had to accomplish for his father as it held great sentimental value.
“It has been something he always wanted to do but we just had never gotten around to it,” Red Dog said.
“As dad is heading off on the Aussie Muscle Car Run later this year, we thought we could get the tribute truck organised for that event.
“It took more than five months but we managed to pull off the surprise and dad was pretty amazed when we revealed it to him.”
When Snow Jr first saw the truck he was completely overwhelmed.
Although he was aware a new truck would be purchased for the company, he thought it was going to arrive in October and had no idea about the tribute on the back.
“I could not believe it when the truck rolled in,” Snow Jr said.
“I was just on the welder and all of a sudden a brand new truck pulled up with my dad’s face on the back.
“It was pretty amazing they pulled this off as the Anzacs are incredibly important to Australia as well as to our family.
To make the moment even more special, Snow Jr’s sisters Christine, Maxine and Dawn all joined in for the surprise.
The memorial truck is an important addition to the Merrett family as Snow Sr was incredibly proud of all of his children, grand children, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren until the end.
