FERNANDINA FACES BY DICKIE ANDERSON

Hal Mather

FERNANDINA FACES BY DICKIE ANDERSON

PHOTO BY STEVE LEIMBERG, UNSEENIMAGES.COM

After a busy life that included 12 major moves, Hal Mather is happily enjoying his retirement on Amelia Island. Originally from England, Hal and his wife, Jean, found their country devastated by World War II and decided they needed to relocate.

The Mathers immigrated to Canada, where Hal had a job opportunity. Describing himself as an aircraft engineer and expert in manufacturing management, he worked for the Fairey Company on-and-off in the first years of his career. Nova Scotia was the first stop for the young couple after a not very pleasant crossing from England to Halifax. Later moves would take them across the country to Victoria, British Columbia, back to Nova Scotia, and then to the United States.

A man of many interests and talents, he and his wife were accomplished ballroom dancers. Ballroom dancing was a favorite pastime of many couples all over the world, especially in Canada. The talented couple won many dancing competitions, including the Canadian National Championship. They were featured dancers on Canada’s number one television show, “Don Messer’s Jubilee,” touring in the summers. For a brief time, the couple ran a dancing school.

Mather’s talents brought needed organization to a variety of companies throughout his career. Embracing the power of computers, he was able to increase their efficiency and profitability. Sharing what he learned, he has written four books and numerous articles on manufacturing management. He was a successful consultant for many years.

With retirement in 1995, Mather was able to indulge in a hobby he enjoyed as a youngster: building model ships. A model shipbuilding group was meeting in Jacksonville, but it was too far to attend regularly, so he started one on Amelia Island called the Pirate Flag Modelers. Mather approached Amelia Island Plantation and was able to get permission to sail the model boats on one of its many lakes.

The club grew quickly into 20 or more modelers and still meets on the first Saturday of every month. He is proud of his collection of sea-going vessels he has built through the years. The first boat he built was an oceangoing tug. His second model was a World War II destroyer, a more ambitious project. Ironically, it is an exact replica of a destroyer now in downtown Jacksonville’s Northbank, where it will become home to the Jacksonville Naval Museum. The historic destroyer launched in 1945 and saw 37 years of U.S. deployments.

His proudest creation is a built-from-scratch replica of the boat he and Jean emigrated on to Canada. It took ten years to build. It is over 9 feet long, with many features that can be operated by remote control. When the Maritime Museum was open, he volunteered there and his models were on display.

Exercise is important to him. He is a dedicated walker and schedules two long walks a week. He also participates in an island Jazzercise program. His pets are all in his backyard. He has a large group of squirrels and birds who appreciate his generosity. His love of animals is clear when you see the assortment of feeders he maintains. He even wrote a children’s book, “The Rabbit Who Loved Peanuts,” about a rabbit that he got to know by sharing peanuts. He has read his book at many Nassau County schools.

A widower, Mather has one daughter, two grandchildren, and a great-grandchild, all of whom live in Canada.