John Risby spent his first Christmas at BHP steelworks in Newcastle on night shift at the age of 16.
Mr Risby, of Merewether Heights, was a trainee then. It was 1941.
He rose to take on top management positions in the company and oversaw great change in Newcastle.
His contribution to steelmaking and manufacturing in the Hunter Region lasted for more than 50 years.
And so his death at age 97 has been met with sadness but also admiration for a life well lived.
Peter Risby described his dad as an "archetypal Australian achiever".
John became general manager at BHP in Newcastle and Whyalla in South Australia.
"He is also a member of that distinctive breed of Australians who did not rest upon their laurels after retirement, but continued to serve their community in major ways," Peter said.
John Risby was born in Maitland in 1925.
While working at BHP, he completed a metallurgy diploma in 1947. He married Dorothy Burgess in 1950 and they had three sons.
The family moved to Whyalla in 1964 when Mr Risby was transferred to install, commission and operate a new BHP steel plant. He became general manager there in 1975. He played a major role in the introduction of "basic oxygen steelmaking" at the Newcastle and Whyalla steelworks.
Having learnt the technology in the US and Canada, he implemented it in Australia.
In 1980, John returned to the Newcastle steelworks as general manager.
"At the time of his return, plans were well advanced for a large steelworks development," Peter said.
"However, by 1982 Australia was in recession with a large world surplus of steel. With domestic steel demand drastically reduced and threats from imports, survival became a top priority.
"By 1986, the workforce had been reduced from 11,000 to 6000. However, with a return to profitability, work commenced to upgrade major sections of the plant."
John realised that associations with the education and business sectors were essential to the survival of BHP.
He held roles with the University Council, Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Council, the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce and the board of Newcastle Newspapers [former owner of the Herald].
He retired from BHP in 1986 after 44 years of service.
In retirement, he chaired various boards linked to the Port of Newcastle.
He was an active member of the Newcastle Club, holding the role of president from 1991 to 1992.
In 1996, he was presented with an honorary doctorate of engineering from the University of Newcastle.
In the 2021 Queen's birthday honours, he was awarded an AM for significant service to the steelmaking industry and the Newcastle community.
In the sporting world, John played first grade cricket for several clubs in Newcastle and represented Wanderers Rugby Union Club in more than 100 first grade games.
He represented Newcastle in both sports and, up until his passing, was the oldest surviving member of the 1945 Wanderers premiership side.
Former BHP worker Aubrey Brooks said Mr Risby was "a great bloke and a real man of steel".
"We knew him as the people's manager. He was different to a lot of other managers," Mr Brooks said.
"He had a tough job at times, but never lost his humanity. He was a giant of a man and a true gentleman who will be sorely missed."
Bob Cook, who knew Mr Risby at the steelworks and in retirement, said "he was a good man".
Mr Cook, a former Newcastle councillor, said he was respected for rising through the ranks at BHP.
"He was fair to everyone and a smart man. He had a very good brain to work things out. I guess that's why he rose to the top."
Mr Cook said Mr Risby was "very dedicated to Newcastle and the importance of industry".
"He had a clear and definitive understanding about where the steel industry and BHP fitted into the history of Newcastle and Australia."
He said Mr Risby was given the task of reducing the size of the workforce "during the bad times in the 1980s when the steel industry looked like closing". "He had the job of announcing the retrenchment of thousands of people. I was present in the room at a media conference that day in 1984. It was a very tough day for him."
John Risby is survived by his three sons, Philip, Anthony and Peter, and sister Norma.
