He recently turned 90, and one of his birthday cards read “like your good work, still standing”.
Born to Florence and John Mundie, Roy grew up with 10 siblings, seven brothers and three sisters.
When he was 14, he left school to work in a garage, but quickly found it wasn’t for him.
“I had an itch to be a builder,” Roy said.
“I’ve been in the building game nearly all my life.”
He founded Mundie Constructions, still operating to this day, and owned by Roy’s oldest grandson, Adam.
“I’ve been retired for a while now,” he said.
“He’s doing a pretty good job — not just because he has our name.”
Roy’s daughter-in-law Fiona credits him with building much of Rochester, but he disagrees.
“I didn’t build half of Rochester, but I’ve built a fair few,” he said.
“I had a lot to do with Nelson’s Factory — not all of it, because it was subcontracted.”
When he was 16, Roy started playing for Rochester Football Club, and won best first-year player.
“I played almost 100 games of seniors in the Bendigo League for Rochester Football Club, and I enjoyed every minute of it,” he said.
“I played anywhere, mainly centre half-back.”
Roy signed to play for Geelong in 1952, but ultimately did not travel to play.
“I didn’t go down there because I’d just started my work, and I didn’t think I was good enough on my left side,” he said.
In 1956, Roy married Phyllis Clapham, a young woman also local to Rochester.
“We met through a dance at the Church of England hall,” Roy said.
Over the course of their marriage they had four children — Janine, Bruce, Wayne and Stephen.
“Janine is the eldest, she’s in Perth; Bruce is a farmer in Nanneella; then Wayne, and then Stephen, who lives up in Cairns.”
Wayne passed away in a car accident when he was 18 years old, and Roy remembers him as a bright young man.
“(Wayne) played junior football, and then jumped up to the seniors, played three games and kicked four goals,” he said.
“He was only 18, he had everything in front of him.”
Roy has four children, seven grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren, of whom he is immensely proud.
When Roy was asked to name his proudest moment, the answer was no surprise: “My marriage, of course.”
Newlyweds: Roy and Phyllis Mundie (centre) and their wedding party.
Photo by
Steve Huntley
Family: Roy and his children Stephen, Janine, and Bruce.
Celebration: Roy and his wife, Phyllis, on their wedding day.
Big family: Roy and his seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren at his 90th birthday party.
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