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Harry West never really retired, although he reached the age of 96. His hard work - shearing in his younger years and later growing wheat and top prime lambs - was renowned in his district, north-west of Dubbo. His was an Australian bush life in a century where depression was followed by world war, and determination and love made a warm home. Harry's efforts were celebrated by family and friends who filled St Andrew's Chapel to overflowing at his funeral last week after his death on May 25. Harry Bertril West was born in 1918 and spent his earliest years on a property opposite the present-day Orana Mall, which his father share-farmed. He was 11-years-old when the family bought 'Globelands' on the banks of the Coalbaggie Creek on the Collie Road, north-west of Dubbo. His new home was the old Globe Inn hotel - now owned by the next generation, Harry and Lowana West - before moving to the 'Globelands' homestead, where he remained. Like so many of his era, Harry left school at the age of 13 and became a full-time farmer with his father. Mourners at the funeral were told of the hard times with Harry and brother Ted rabbiting and their mother selling eggs to supplement the family income. As a teenager, Harry's life changed when he started shearing. It became a means for him to pursue his dream of helping his father pay off the farm and buying his own property. With brother Ted, a woolclasser, he travelled throughout Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia, doing a job categorised as an essential service when Australia went to war. Tragedy hit in 1942 when Ted died in central Queensland while Harry was working in NSW. One of his biggest regrets was he could not be at his beloved brother's funeral, grandson Ryan O'Connor said in the eulogy. In 2011 he travelled to Ted's final resting place and was finally able to say goodbye. Harry wasn't just any shearer, he was fast. At one memorable shed he shore 6272 sheep - including successive days of tallies of more than 300 - and earned 100 pounds. But he left the celebrating at the nearby Eumungerie Hotel to the rest of the team - he never drank, nor smoked. He was proud that two of his sons and one grandson followed him in picking up a handpiece. His love of his trade never ceased and just two months ago he travelled to the nearby 'Parkdale' property to watch three shearers set a world record. The gun shearer's skill allowed him to buy a block of ground near his father and it was an opportunity he did not waste. Harry met "the love of his life", Patricia Burrows, at a dance at Dubbo. They were married in 1955 in St Andrew's, the beginning of a partnership that saw them build a successful business and loving family made up of Maree, Allen, Kevin, Margaret, Harry and Debbie. Harry took the loss of Pat six years ago hard, but found consolation in farming life and was still hand-feeding sheep up until the recent rain. Farmer Arnold Wheeler worked and then lived near the 'Globelands' owner for more than 40 years. "I first met Harry in 1969 when I was 20 and he gave me a job helping him and George Wheeler with fencing," Mr Wheeler said. "Being a generation older than me I thought I should call him Mr West. "But he told me 'Harry's the name' - he never made himself more important than anyone else." Mr Wheeler was "treated like family" working for the Wests and then found in Harry a role model. "Over the time of the saleyards at Troy (near Dubbo) Harry was one of the most successful producers," Mr Wheeler said. "When I sold lambs that brought a price somewhere near Harry's I felt I was doing well." The enduring farmer continued to have success and in his 90th year his lambs topped a sale at the Dubbo market. Harry and Pat's great joy was their family, which included 20 grandchildren and "soon to be 17 great-grandchildren", and they shared some memories at the funeral. "We will all miss his twinkling blue eyes, his happy smile, making his weak black cup of tea - not too hot - talking about the weather, sheep prices and politics," granddaughter Sophie Ottley said.

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