Ted Surman, the founder of Goldcrest Wholesalers with his son Steve, passed away peacefully in his sleep this month at the age of 88.
Born in New Zealand with “a happy disposition”, Ted was the youngest of eight children who never “wanted for a lolly” even in the midst of the Depression.
At just 16 years of age, Ted enlisted into the RNZAF at the start of WWII and was then stationed in Micronesia where he worked on P65 boats which recovered landing flying boats.
After the War he worked as a Nugget Shoe Polish sales representative for three years before setting up ‘Surman’s Menswear’ shoe and menswear stores with his first wife, Doreen, in Auckland.
Ted moved to Sydney in 1975 with his second wife Judy but after six months “got bored” and found a job as a sales manager for Friezers Findings (Bluebird baby bracelets).
Six years later he still loved the job but decided it really was time to retire on the Gold Coast but his plan was interrupted when he was head-hunted by Italia Chain (now Catene d’Italia) to help set up the then new company.
Another four years later in 1985 Ted attempted to retire again but after another six months he was “bored” and approached his son Steve to set up a gold and diamond wholesaling business with him.
The father and son established Goldcrest Wholesalers later in the same year and have been successfully selling their products around Australia for 27 years since.
Steve said it has been “an honour” to work and spend so much time with his father.
“Ted realised that you never retire, because when do, you wait to die,” he said.
“Basically Ted’s motto was ‘thinking is working’ and he loved talking to all the customers whom became our friends and companions.
“We will miss him dearly.”
Steve said that although Ted was born in New Zealand his family had a long and proud association with Australia long before Ted moved to Sydney – his father, Victoria Surman, who was born in Melbourne, spent time cutting and laying sandstone blocks on the Sydney Harbour Bridge while his grandfather, Steven Surman, spent time prospecting for gold in Victoria and WA.