He was among my first contact with the McDonald’s System
I think he shouted Jean and me the first of many thousands of Macca’s coffees.
After a while he discovered that, through the First Fleeter convict John Nichols, we were distant cousins...very distant at that … and from that point on he always welcomed my family and me as, “Cuz”.
John always joked about living and trading in a Jewish area and did not mind taking the mickey out of himself. He commented about the Jewish fraternity. I thought he was one, and then I thought that if he was one and we were related I must be one also, but that was not the case.
John had many sides to his personality: a great sense of humour - provided you were not the subject of his sharp wit; a hard working guy ... and a power in the McDonald’s licensee community.
I always remember his comment when it came to competitions in the (McDonald’s) system...he said, “I don’t believe in winners and losers, I believe that everybody who tries should be a winner.” And I sure see the logic in that philosophy.
I recall at one of the early overseas conferences in Hong Kong, during the entertaining period John gave a dissertation. He titled it “I’m so lucky”. He had put together so many words to express his good fortune for his life to date, but now to be part of the McDonald’s system when we were one big happy family and all enjoying growth. I felt that John was not only talking about his life but spoke for all of us in the room.
John should get a great deal of the credit for the establishment of the Ronald McDonald Houses. He put in thousand of hours to establish the first House at Camperdown and untold effort to establish the Randwick Ronald McDonald House.
I feel that for that effort he got a just reward ...that is he met Virginia at the Camperdown House. We all know the story from there.
...and I recall John’s and Ginny’s first public appearance at a Surfers Paradise McDonald’s conference..???????
And their 20 years together I know have indeed been happy.
John’s personality and energy influenced many people including me. And I can say well done John. You’re a winner.
from Neville Spinks and family
Rory Jan 19, 2010
He was among my first contact with the McDonald’s System
I think he shouted Jean and me the first of many thousands of Macca’s coffees.
After a while he discovered that, through the First Fleeter convict John Nichols, we were distant cousins...very distant at that … and from that point on he always welcomed my family and me as, “Cuz”.
John always joked about living and trading in a Jewish area and did not mind taking the mickey out of himself. He commented about the Jewish fraternity. I thought he was one, and then I thought that if he was one and we were related I must be one also, but that was not the case.
John had many sides to his personality: a great sense of humour - provided you were not the subject of his sharp wit; a hard working guy ... and a power in the McDonald’s licensee community.
I always remember his comment when it came to competitions in the (McDonald’s) system...he said, “I don’t believe in winners and losers, I believe that everybody who tries should be a winner.” And I sure see the logic in that philosophy.
I recall at one of the early overseas conferences in Hong Kong, during the entertaining period John gave a dissertation. He titled it “I’m so lucky”. He had put together so many words to express his good fortune for his life to date, but now to be part of the McDonald’s system when we were one big happy family and all enjoying growth. I felt that John was not only talking about his life but spoke for all of us in the room.
John should get a great deal of the credit for the establishment of the Ronald McDonald Houses. He put in thousand of hours to establish the first House at Camperdown and untold effort to establish the Randwick Ronald McDonald House.
I feel that for that effort he got a just reward ...that is he met Virginia at the Camperdown House. We all know the story from there.
...and I recall John’s and Ginny’s first public appearance at a Surfers Paradise McDonald’s conference..???????
And their 20 years together I know have indeed been happy.
John’s personality and energy influenced many people including me. And I can say well done John. You’re a winner.
The Spinks family.