Joze (Joseph) Suster was born 22 March 1926. He was the eighth of 10 children born at a scenic hilltop farmhouse in Kalobje, Slovenja. Life wasn’t easy. They were a poor farming family in tough times but they had each other and were happy. In fact dad was always happy and positive. From these early days he learned about the importance, the comfort, the happiness and loyalty of family. Qualities he brought to his own family and one of the many things he taught me.

My dad was a gentle, loving man. I don’t remember him having any animosity towards anyone. He always treated people with genuine respect. So it must have been the ultimate challenge for my dad the pacifist when WW2 broke out and as an 18 year old he was conscripted into the German army when it invaded Slovenja. Typically he managed a solution which didn’t compromise his principles and didn’t cause any fuss or stir. He became a conscientious objector not by refusing to go to war which would have put both himself and his family in peril but by going to battle and instead of shooting at the enemy soldiers he would aim over their heads and miss. Dad always amazed me with his ability to find a practical solution to any problem he confronted.
He was captured by American soldiers and was held in prisoner of war camps for about 18 months. He had to endure starvation, brutality and the death of fellow prisoners. Dad was very determined and focused when he needed to be so he did what was required to survive the horror of POW camps. He was not going to be beaten by war.

Dad completed his apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker but realized that life in post war communist Yugoslavia didn’t hold much opportunity. So he made an incredibly courageous pact with 3 friends to escape from Yugoslavia in search of a better life and a better place with more opportunity. Dad and his friends went mountain climbing late one day on the Italian Alps bordering Slovenja. They had to hang from the cliffs off ropes until the border guards changed shift and they could safely make the cross to Italy. Eventually in 1952 he was able to immigrate across the other side of the globe to the promised land of prosperity, Australia. However, prosperity didn’t come easily. There was a new language to learn. There was unemployment. There was bigotry. But dad was resilient and a hard worker. Willing to take any job and gain acceptance until he was able to gain employment as a carpenter and a decent wage.

There was a greater pact in dad’s escape from Yugoslavia. There was the pact with Matilda the love of his life. After he established himself in Australia she also escaped from Yugoslavia to join dad in 1954 to be married and forge a life together in this new land. 

By the time I was born Dad had begun his career with the Public Works Department. Most of his time in the Public Works he was a foreman, project managing the construction of schools. On school holidays he would sometimes take me to work with him and I was able to witness his fantastic leadership and people management skills. He was universally admired by all work colleagues and school principals. He never berated or belittled people. His style was to encourage, clearly communicate, set achievable tasks and lead by example working shoulder to shoulder with his fellow workers at every level.

Dad wasn’t the sporty type. Most weekends he would be working in the shed making a cabinet or piece of furniture. He did this not only to make some extra money for the family but many times he just could not say no to helping someone out. With a sense of pride I would be his helper. My main job in the early days was to provide him with his main source of sustenance, his vino. As I got older I would bring tools, carry materials and eventually be the main labourer in the construction of our new house. Dad encouraged me to be his work mate. I learnt so much from him during these times by watching him and being with him. Many times he amazed me with his solutions to what seemed to me to be impossible problems when building something. His skill as a craftsman and attention to detail were second to none. I was so in awe of his ability in woodwork that I decided not to follow in his footsteps as a cabinet maker because I thought I would never be as good as he was. However while working with him he taught me all about work ethic, pride in your work, leadership, determination, problem solving; all important life skills which still influence me today.
It was not all hard work. Dad never lost touch with his inner child. In fact children were the joy of his life. Often when he came home from work he would be on the floor wrestling and tickling my brother and I. He would love to watch cartoons with us. Even in his later years in the nursing home his face would light up when he saw the grandchildren.    

Dad’s other great joy was his singing. Even when his Alzheimer’s had already set in he was still contributing his lovely tenor voice to the choir with gusto. He made many lifelong friends through his singing and the memory of his beautiful voice will endure.   

Dad was a loyal, faithful and loving husband. A loving and nurturing father. A wonderful role model; I can only hope to emulate what he was for me with my children. He was not famous but his pure heart, enthusiasm and genuine warmth had a positive influence on everyone who knew him. I know he will be missed and remembered fondly by everyone. May he rest in peace.

Dear Grandpa,
I miss you so much but I know you are in a happy place and that you are looking over us and protecting us
I have my memories and will never forget them. I remember being in the car with you when you were changing your registration sticker and playing hide and seek and I just couldn’t find you I also remember jumping on dad’s bed and you came and encouraged me to keep going. I will always be talking to you and always wonting to be with u but I just can’t

I look up to you, you are the nicest person I ever will know I wont to be like you how do u do it? 

I love you so much and will always be thinking of you. Hear is one of my teddies to keep you company I hope you like the one I chose.

Love Hannah.
P.S have a great time in heaven and hopefully we will meet up again someday miss you
 xoxoxo  

My Grandpa was great. He loved us kids.
Whenever Grandpa saw me he wanted me to sit on his lap. I thought Grandpa was a brave and strong man.

Grandpa liked to walk and sometimes we would walk with him. When he could talk I liked listening to his stories. Grandpa lost his memory when he grew older and the same with his voice and movement. I don’t remember a lot about Grandpa when he was well but I know he loved me and I loved him.

I wish I got to know him more.
Thank you for being my Grandpa. 

From grandson  Alec 

When I was 3 years old my dad told me that our grandpa used to be in the war and I thought that was very brave and very strong of him. Then I finally got to know him and he was very funny and loved to tickle us. Unfortunately, he passed away unexpectedly which was very sad for all of us.

Every time we visited grandpa in the nursing home he wanted us to sit on his lap, and when it was time for us to leave he wouldn’t let us go. I don’t know how much Grandpa remembered at the nursing home but he did remember to tickle us.

 Grandpa loved his food and always made sure that we loved it to. Even if we were full!


Grandpa was a brave and strong man and I hope that one day I can be just like him.

But what I remember most about Grandpa is all the fun times I had with him and all the time he gave me, Grandpa never said no.

I will miss him very much I love you grandpa.

Granddaughter  Ema    

Dragi Jože, spoštovani žalujoči!

Jože, ob Tvojem slovesu se bolj kot običajno zavemo, da je življenje stkano iz lepih in žalostnih trenutkov, ki nas spremljajo od rojstva in do dne, ko se za vedno poslovimo. In prav danes je dan, ko se oviti  v žalost oziramo nazaj na prehojeno pot, ki si jo tako rad delil z nami vsemi, družino, znanci in prijatelji. Tvoj veder, nasmejan obraz in prijazna beseda so bile oblike klenega, delavnega in poštenega človeka in skrbnega moža in očeta.

Jože, v slovenski skupnosti si bil in boš ostal za vedno cenjen in s hvaležnostjo se bomo spominjali vseh tvojih dobrih del in tvoje neomajne vere v kulturno dediščino tvojih slovenskih korenin. Prav ta ljubezen do slovenskega človeka nam je podarila tebe.

Jože, prav anič nam ni treba brskati po spominu, vsi dobro vemo, da si se kmalu po tvojem prihodu v novo domovino vključil v delo slovenske skupnosti, kateri si predal in podaril veliko tvojega prostega časa.Tudi pri Klubu Triglav si zazaznamoval svojo prisotnost s tem, da si poprijel za vsako delo, bil si član odbora, prvenstveno pa odličen pevec, član pevskega zbora Triglav, v katerem si prepeval prvi tenor od same ustanovitve dalje. Ljubezen do petja te je popeljala skozi številne nastope od dveh nastopov v sloviti Operni Hiši pa do koncertne turneje po Sloveniji. Po prekinitvi delovanja Triglavskega zbora si nadaljeval s petjem v cerkvenem pevskem zboru pri Sv Rafaelu v Merrylands in tam si prepeval pri bogoslužju vse do dne, ko je neozdravljiva bolezen posegla v tvoje zdravje in nam iz tvojih ustnic za vedno ukradla Slovensko pesem, s katero  si izpovedoval, da si zaveden in ponosen Slovenec.

Spoštovani, dovolite, da ob slovesu od Jožeta izrečem globoko sožalje v svojem imenu in v imenu članov Kluba Triglav Panthers ženi Matildi, sinovoma z družinama, sorodnikom ter prijateljem in znancem.
Jože ,počivaj v miru in naj ti bo lahka zemlja naše nove domovine Australije.

Zdi se nam, da smo ga že vedno poznali, našega prijatelja Jožeta, saj je bil del našega življenja že odkar smo prišli v Australijo.

Tisti, ki so se zbrali v davnih začetkih naše slovenske skupnosti v St Mary's, so ga mogoče poznali najbolje, saj je bil eden od mladih Slovencev, katere je domotožje potegnilo v družbo drugih Slovencev in skupno so se zbirali ob neformalnih prireditvah, zabavah, družabnih tekmovanjih.Nekaterih imena so že vtonila v pozabo, tako dolgo je že od  tega in samo na starih slikah v  arhivu še vidimo obraze, ki so organizirali takratno slovensko skupnost v St Mary's. Jože in soproga Matilda sta bila povsod zraven,pri takratnem družabnem življenju,  prijazna, nasmejana in vedno pripravljena pomagati.

Ko je obisk Slovenskega okteta v Klubu Triglav dal pobudo za ustanovitev moškega pevskega zbora, je bil Jože Šuster eden od prvih, ki se je prijavil. Tudi mnogi drugi so  se prijavili, nekateri z lepimi glasovi in posluhom, drugi  z veliko voljo in veseljem , le z malo manj sposbnosti in takim je takratni pevovodja Boro Šedelbauer rekel, naj malo bolj potihem pojejo. Jožetu tega ni bilo treba, njegov čisti tenor je bil vedno v veselje poslušalcem in s pevskim zborom Triglav je nastopal vsa leta, na prireditvah v klubu, v drugih klubih, v etničnih festivalih in tudi v opera House in na SBS Radiu. .Vposebno veselje je bilo Jožetu, ko je bil zbor povabljen na koncertno turnejo v domovino, kjer so nastopili najprej na množičnem srečanjiu pevskih zborov iz domovine in izseljenskih krajev, potem pa tudi na večjem številu koncertov po Sloveniji in celo v Celovcu v Austriji. Jože je pogosto pel solo, kadar je bilo potrebno in še  sedaj mi zveni v spominu njegovo »Ankooo, Ančiceeee, dušo in srce mojeee!«.

V tem času je prevzel tudi nalogo blagajnika v Oboru Kluba Triglav in kot vse drugo, je tudi to nalogo opravljal vestno in natančno.V tistih časih so bili pogosto sestanki burni in glasni, a Jože je bil vedno miren in nasmejan, vedno pripravljen z lepo in prijazno besedo za vsakega.Ko se je število pevcev v zboru začelo zmanjševati  in so ostali brez pevovodje, se je preostala majhna skupina pevcev pod vodstvom sestre Francke Žižek pridružila cerkvenemu pevskemu zboru in še nekaj let nastopala posebej kot Moški pevski zbor Triglav, medtem, ko so preostali čas prepevali v cerkvenem zboru. Posebno so se izkazali pri pogrebih sposebnim programom pesmi kot so »Vigred se povrne » in »Ultima in Mortis  Hora«.

Matilda je bila slabega zdravja in nihče ne bi pričakoval, da bo Jože tisti, ki ga je zadel usodni udarec- Alzheimer bolezen. Čeprav je začel bolj in  bolj pozabljati, so mu pesmi še vedno ostale v spominu in s pomočjo dobrega prijatelja, sedaj že tudi pokojnega , Rudija Jakšetiča je še vedno redno prihajal na pevske vaje in na nastope, dokler ga bolezen ni dokončno premagala in se je moral preseliti v dom, kjer morajo bolniki s tako boleznijo biti pod stalnim nadzorstvom, da se ne izgubijo. V starosti 84 let ga je Bog poklical k sebi in v petek,23.julija smo ga pospremili na slovensko pokopališče v Rookwoodu, kjer že počiva precejšnje število njegovih prijateljev iz Moškega pevskega zbora Triglav.

Kako zelo ga pogrešamo; pevci na koru, ki jim je bil vsem dober prijatelj, verniki v cerkvi, kjer zelo manjka njegov lepi glas v pesmi, predvsem pa njegova družina, žena Matilda, ki ga je vsak dan obiskovala v domu, oba sinova , Stephen in John z družinama, vnuki, katerim je bil nad vse ljubeč in ljubezniv stari ata in ne nazadnje prijatelji iz Kluba Triglav, ki smo vedno cenili njegovo pametno in prijazno besedo in pripravljenost pomagati.

Bil je resnično DOBER ČLOVEK !