The son of an avid Wagga collector who passed away earlier this year is searching for a new home for the impressive hoard of riches.
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Arnold Velthuis passed away earlier this year leaving his biscuit tins, stamps and coins, after collecting for more than three decades, with his son Frederick.
“I reckon he started collecting mainly to upset Mum,” Fred joked.
“Dad did a lot of volunteer work after he retired from his clinic business, and he worked with the Salvation Army.
“He started collecting tins and before the tips closed he used to get in there and gradually built his connection.”
The father and son duo had a close relationship right up until the very end and Fred focused on the positive memories he has.
“I can still hear him saying to me, ‘when are you going to get that shed built so I can put some of my things in?’,” he said.
“The cement wasn’t even cold and he was already in there decking it out.”
“That was the funny thing, even right up to the day he died he knew where everything was in that shed.
“When we found he had cancer he had to have the radiotherapy and chemotherapy and he had six weeks of radiotherapy.
“The day he finished was the day my first granddaughter was born and there was a big race to see who was out first, the baby or my dad out of therapy.”
Arnold won by five-and-a-half hours, he finished at 7.30pm and the baby was born just after midnight and the day is one of Fred’s happiest memories.
The word hobby isn’t sufficient to describe what his late father did, it was his “passion”, Fred said.
“The three big things for him were biscuit tins, stamps and coins,” he said.
“Dad was a funny sort of bloke, he had loved life, he had a passion for life but he was the most stubborn man you’ll ever meet.”
While still grieving for his father, Fred said he was relieved that he was finally at peace and with his wife in heaven. When dementia and cancer riddled Arnold, Fred devoted his life to caring for him.
“I stopped work 12 months ago to become his full-time carer,” he said.
“I would never wish him dead, but he’s at peace and so am I because for the last 15 years, since my mum passed, my life has revolved around my dad.
“He wasn’t one of my best friends, he was the best friend that I had.
“When this house and all these items are sold it will be the end of the chapter.”
A mad Carlton fan, Fred made sure to wear a Swans scarf on the day of the funeral just for his father.
“I picked the scarf off the coffin to wear while delivering the eulogy and I swear I could hear him in his Dutch accent saying ‘where are you going with that?’ with his cackling laugh,” he said.
Fred wishes for his father’s legacy to live on and for the collector’s items to find a home with a new owner just as passionate as Arnold. If interested, please contact Fred on 0407 267 279.
