The Sandra & Warren Steel story



San and I met at a social night at Boomerang Squash club in 1963, San had just joined the club with a friend Suzanne Proberts a friend of Rob Ford. We got engaged the following year and married in June 1965 a lot of people said we wouldn't make it, but here we are almost 43 years later.

We moved to Sydney in 1966 and lived in Kingsford later we purchased a home in Lane Cove and we divided it into two flats, we lived in the smaller one and let the other one out to help pay the mortgage.

I began working for AV Jennings selling homes working weekends and having one day off during the week. At the same time I formed a partnership with a Real Estate friend and we opened a Real Estate Office (Spyer & Steel Real Estate) in Carlton (St. George country) in 1971. My partner managed the Real Estate Office whilst I helped out during the week. Our first daughter was born in 1971, Danielle, we have always called her Dani.

In 1973 I accepted a position as Sales Manager with AV Jennings in Wollongong. San & I moved to Dapto and built the first AV Jennings home in the Illawarra. Our second daughter Peta was born in 1973.

In 1977 we owner built our own Squash Centre and attached home. We introduced the first glass back exhibition court in the Illawarra. Our son Lincoln was born in 1978. At the time of selling our courts in 1980 we had 44 teams playing under our banner under the name of 'Dapto Dinos'. In men's, ladies night and midweek, shift workers and juniors.

We purchased a home in Kiama Downs after selling the squash courts and going overseas with the kids for a period of time. We lived in this house for 25 years. I became an alderman for Kiama Council. Whilst in Kiama Downs we started several businesses which included the colored sand souvenirs, aerial photography (a huge blimp) the Galloping Golf Drive Driving Range which is still situated in the middle of Kembla Grange Race Track.

Then in 1998 we started Steel Family Real Estate which we successfully ran for 10 years with our daughter Peta and we sold it in April 2007 to retire and smell the flowers and travel.

San is a keen golfer like our son who is the current Club Open Champion, Mixed Foursomes Champions with his cousin, and The Men's Foursomes Champions with his father-in-law.

I am still a member of Lions, which Des Crabbe introduced me into in 1966 where we were both members of Moorooka Lions Club. I am now a member of Kiama and a recipient of the 'Melvin Jones Fellowship'.

I still paint and actively involved in cartooning. San and I help out with the baby sitting of our grandchildren 3 girls and 2 boys which includes a set of twins (one of each). Alessandra (Ally) 8 years, Jordan (5) Dani & Aldo's 2 kids, Mikaylee 2 years (nickname 'mouse') Peta & Rob's little girl and Brayden & Madelaine 6 months, Linc & Leigh's twins.

We are both very healthy and trying to holiday overseas at least once a year. We now live over looking Bombo Beach and anybody visiting the South Coast of New South Wales are more than welcome to call in.

A Catch up after 45 Years.

I had a visit from Warren and Sandra Steel a couple of weeks ago , both early members of Boomerang, in fact Warren met Sandra at a Boomerang Saturday night social upstairs at the courts all those years ago. They were over in WA visiting Warrens sister who lives in Busselton. After Warren & Sandra married in 1965, they stayed in Brissy till early 1966 and then took off to live in NSW, I was a groomsman for Warren, in Brissy in June 1965. Sandra's maiden name was Bottomley, and she was part of a winning D3 Team in 1963. Warren was a runner up to Richard Arnold in the first Handicap Tournament at the club in 1963. Warren also was part of a B Grade team that played together for a few seasons, other members where Joe Williams. Des Crabbe, Alan Frost & Bob Ford.

Regards Joe Williams (February 2011)